It could be nearly impossible for the Rays to trade shortstop Wander Franco, who is rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball. Certainly some prospects are actually untouchable.
Dozens of others have emerged in the various trade rumors heading into the deadline that runs until 4 p.m. ET Monday. Here’s a more difficult question to answer: When should a prospect be considered untouchable?
If a general manager knew he could win a World Series, there would be no untouchable prospect.
Here are seven young players who shouldn’t be traded at all. They are listed based on their position on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 Prospects List.
1. MacKenzie Gore, LZ, Padres (No. 5): He’s the No. 1 pitching prospect in all of baseball and someone who would live up to every expectation. This is not a deadline that a Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer is available. That is why the Friars would not change to the southpaw unless they receive arms of that size.
2. Brendan McKay, LZ, Rays (No. 16): He recently had surgery on his left shoulder, which would make him a “low-cost” candidate for a rebuilding team. This is precisely why Tampa Bay should not be tempted.
3. Andrew Vaughn, 1B, White Sox (No. 17): Speaking of temptations, no team will be more tempted than the Humps. If general manager Rick Hahn can add an established starter – possibly Lance Lynn – the Chicago team could be a dangerous team in October. Hahn is also looking for alternatives for the bullpen. But Vaughn shouldn’t be a game changer. You would have to switch multiple prospects to acquire that arm. But Vaughn – who is a year away from making the White Sox lineup more dangerous – shouldn’t be traded.
4. Forrest Whitley, RHP, Astros (No. 21): At one point he was among the best pitching prospects, also among the most untouchable prospects. He has struggled with his command and confidence in recent Minor League campaigns. Now the team has suspended its activities due to an arm problem. He is still 22 years old, with a fastball that reaches 100 miles per hour. This is not the time to contemplate changing it.
5. Carter Kieboom, INF, Nationals (No. 23): It was always an injustice to expect him to replace Anthony Rendón’s production in 2020. The Nationals, who are in win-now mode, weren’t willing to just put him in the lineup and deal with the highs. and low. At 22, he has played 28 major league games but has a .559 OPS this year and Washington just acquired Brock Holt, probably to play ahead of him. Kieboom’s value might not be on the high side, but the potential is still there.
6. Drew Waters, OF, Braves (No. 27): The Braves have a ton of talented young patrollers (Cristian Pache is 14th in MLB’s top 100 prospects), so they certainly must be tempted to trade Waters, 21 years old. But they shouldn’t. He has the opportunity to be a special player, and there doesn’t seem to be a pitcher available who can dramatically improve the Braves’ chances of winning the World Series.
7. Keibert Ruiz, C, Dodgers (No. 78): The Venezuelan’s name appears here because the Dodgers also have Will Smith, another outstanding catching promise. Having two receiving prospects at that level says a lot about the depth of the Dodgers. But unless he gets a real No. 1 starter in exchange – and that won’t be the case – they shouldn’t trade Ruiz. (GG) (Taken from MLB.com)