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If the early stages of the MLB offseason are any indication of the types of players we’ll hear on the rumor mill over the next few months, then we’re in for a wild winter.

While not every rumored name will be moved, it’s likely some top-of-the-line players will be switching teams. These impact bats will cost a small fortune. That said, a number of teams will line up to acquire their production.

Which players are dominating the talk of the early offseason? Below are three we already need to be on the lookout for.

Troy Tulowitzki

The Colorado Rockies had not shown a willingness to deal franchise cornerstone Troy Tulowitzki, but Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that their stance on the matter has changed:

For the first time, the Colorado Rockies sound willing to trade shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and/or outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.

The Rockies are telling clubs they are keeping their ‘eyes and ears open’ for potential deals involving both players, according to major-league sources.

Tulo is one of the best bats available, but he doesn’t come without risk. The shortstop has played fewer than 100 games in two of the past three seasons, suggesting his future may not be at the position he has played since his rookie campaign in 2006.

His strong arm would translate well to third base, but he might not be receptive to a shift in position.

Teams acquiring the 30-year-old must assess the risk of injury along with the length of his current contract. It doesn’t expire until after the 2020 season, but his team also owns a $15 million option for 2021. That’s a long time for a shortstop with an extensive injury history.

The Rockies are seeking “returns that would reflect their [Tulo’s and Carlos Gonzalez’s] contributions when healthy,” Rosenthal writes, so it might not be easy to find a suitor.

Colorado would presumably ask for an MLB-ready pitcher, along with a handful of top prospects and salary relief. That’s a lot to give up for an injury-prone middle infielder.

Josh Donaldson

Offense was the problem for the Oakland Athletics in the second half, so one would imagine the front office will make a concerted effort to improve the lineup to balance out the strong pitching.

Rosenthal reinforces that idea in another report: “The Oakland Athletics do not plan to trade third baseman Josh Donaldson, according to major league sources.”

Donaldson is both a strong defender and a potent offensive weapon, as evidenced by his plethora of web gems and his 29 home runs during the regular season. He isn’t just a power threat, as the soon-to-be 29-year-old also drove in 98 runs during the regular season.

The man they call “Bringer of Rain” would presumably command a nice return for the A’s. Oakland is, of course, notorious for trading its top assets and bringing in younger, cheaper and more controllable talent.

That time may come with Donaldson, but he won’t be a free agent until after the 2019 season. Arbitration will hike up his salary year after year, assuming he stays healthy and produces, but those numbers are ones the team will likely be able to fit into their payroll.

This is a situation to revisit after the 2018 season, when his upcoming free agency begins to worry the organization. For now, Donaldson will be an Athletic.

Howie Kendrick

Howie Kendrick, 31, has been one of the most consistent second basemen since he entered the league in 2006. The Los Angeles Angel has combined solid defense, a high OPS and decent run production for a middle infielder over the course of his career.

That makes him an attractive option for other teams.

Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet reports that the Toronto Blue Jays are one team that has already checked in on the one-time All-Star: “Howie Kendrick is definitely worth monitoring, as the Blue Jays have placed multiple calls on his availability this year.”

Of course, Nicholson-Smith later tweeted about the four teams Kendrick can block a trade to given his no-trade clause:

Oh, look—Toronto is on the list.

That doesn’t mean the Blue Jays don’t have a shot at him, though. They aren’t that far from contending, making them an attractive team to play for.

Big bats such as Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are enough to drive the lineup (an improved Jose Reyes would help as well), and pitchers such as R.A. Dickey and Marcus Stroman, while not superb, are certainly enough to compete in the American League East.

It would be best for the Jays to go after some extra pitching this offseason as well, but acquiring Kendrick would be a wonderful step toward consistency.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The New York Yankees need a face-lift.

It’s time for things to change in the Bronx. While the team has continually avoided ultimate disaster for the past few seasons—”ultimate disaster” being a losing record—these rosters have come far too close to being a complete mess.

In reality, they’ve been a small spill. A tipped-over glass, if you will. There’s no use crying over spilled milk, but there’s plenty of reason to question why the liquid hit the floor.

Many of the Yankees’ struggles in recent years have been a result of veterans on big contracts underperforming or becoming chronic members of the disabled list. That’s something that needs to change. No longer should this team give big contract to 30-somethings. Of course, small contracts to those players is fine.

The free-agent class for the 2015 season is mostly underwhelming. A few big names stand out, but there isn’t much middle ground. It goes straight from All-Star to spare parts. It will be difficult to upgrade this team via free agency, so a trade or two is necessary along the way.

But what areas of need does this team have? Take a look below to see how the roster currently pans out:

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A smart string of September call-ups can often be the difference between a playoff berth and a phone call to the local golf course.

When MLB rosters expand to 40 on September 1, expect some of the game’s top youngsters to get the call to the majors. The New York Yankees will certainly make some additions, but who will be brought up to help the team’s run at the American League Wild Card?

There are five obvious candidates. While the team could certainly bring up more (the max they can call up is 15), sometimes there isn’t a need. It’s often best to leave youngsters down on the farm if they don’t have a realistic shot at getting any playing time.

Five minor leaguers, however, are in the running for serious playing time. Those five prospects are listed and analyzed here.

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In the thick of the National League East race, the Atlanta Braves would be wise to make a move or two before MLB‘s non-waiver trade deadline passes on Thursday.

There are two glaring holes on this roster—left-handed relief and bench depth. The latest rumors certainly touch on the fact that the bullpen needs help, though there really isn’t too much going on in terms of bench help.

That said, there’s a bit of a surprising rumor that the Braves may be toying with ahead of the deadline that would make the lack of bench depth less apparent.

Read below for the latest buzz surrounding the Braves.

David Price, Jon Lester

Jon Lester and David Price squared off last Friday night, but that wasn’t the only clash going on in the ballpark. Multiple teams had scouts on hand to get a look at both starters ahead of the deadline, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal:

Both starters have been the subject of trade rumors recently, though it’s unclear which starter the Braves were in attendance for. Maybe it was both. Maybe it was just one of the two. Regardless, it appears that Atlanta isn’t comfortable with its rotation of Julio Teheran, Mike Minor, Ervin Santana, Aaron Harang and Alex Wood.

Both starters would be upgrades to the rotation. That said, the price may simply be too high for the Braves, and not only because of each left-hander’s pedigree. Their numbers this season are also superb:

The Braves have good talent in the farm system to deal, but acquiring starting pitching should not be the priority right now. Sure, it’s hard to argue with bringing in one of the two aforementioned aces, but shoring up other areas instead of masking them is paramount.

Instead of Lester or Price, the Braves need to find some depth.

Andrew Miller

“Atlanta has identified lefty in the pen as its biggest need,” writes CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, and David O’Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Andrew Miller is one of the team’s top targets to fix the issues in the pen:

Miller has been great for the Boston Red Sox for three straight seasons. Since he began his tenure in Boston, Miller owns an ERA of 3.83 (3.56 FIP), 1.395 WHIP and 214 strikeouts in 176.1 innings pitched. Those numbers are a bit skewed, as he was a starter in his first season with the Sox.

Now strictly a reliever, Miller is a great lefty specialist. He can strike out any of the lefties in the American League, mostly because of his great fastball and decent control.

Miller is arguably the top lefty available. This is exactly the type of move the Braves need to make. Here’s why.

Take a look at the National League East. Powerful lefties like Bryce Harper, Chase Utley, Curtis Granderson and others grace the lineups of the Braves’ biggest rivals.

Currently without a lefty-stopper in the pen, the Braves have put themselves at risk against these hitters. Miller would mitigate the risk and give them a quality option to combat those hitters.

James Russell, Oliver Perez

The Braves are desperate to add a lefty arm. Just how desperate? Well, ESPN’s Jim Bowden (Insider subscription required) reports that the Braves have looked everywhere: “The Braves have touched base with every team that has an available left-handed reliever, with James Russell of the Cubs and Oliver Perez of the Arizona Diamondbacks among possibilities.”

The Chicago Cubs and Diamondbacks should both be in positions to sell. Neither is nearing a playoff push this season. Both Russell and Perez are assets who could net solid returns considering their status as specialists in the bullpen.

Perez has re-invented himself as a reliever over the past three seasons. This year has been his best, as evidenced by his 2.04 ERA (2.50 FIP), 1.160 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in 39.2 innings pitched.

Under contract through 2015, Perez would require slightly more to acquire than a rental would. A top-10 prospect should be enough to entice the D’Backs.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR

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The MLB All-Star game is all about watching baseball’s top performers put on a show while competing against their most productive peers.

Very rarely does one player absolutely take over the Midsummer Classic. When put against top competition, the game’s best players often post semi-pedestrian stats. That said, there’s always a chance for a breakout performance when there are so many stars on one diamond.

Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota will play host to this year’s crop of stars on July 15. There will certainly be fireworks, but which players will post the best numbers? Which ones will struggle?

You’ll find predictions below.

American League: Mike Trout

Mike Trout led off for the American League in last year’s installment of the Midsummer Classic, and he went 1-for-3 with a first-inning double off National League starter Matt Harvey.

This is how he should fare against the National League on July 15:

Trout is having another fine season. He’s slashing .308/.402/.603 with 20 home runs, 64 RBI and 10 steals. He’s arguably the most dynamic player in the game today, and that makes him a lock to lead off.

Hitting against Kershaw isn’t a small task, however.

His mix of speeds and ability to set hitters down with his incredible breaking ball will play to his favor against an AL lineup that will look to be aggressive out of the gate.

Trout will grab a base hit in the game, but it won’t come off Kershaw. He’ll probably get it in his second at-bat against a guy like Madison Bumgarner.

American League: Felix Hernandez

Shockingly, Felix Hernandez has never started an All-Star game. That will likely change on July 15. Matt Snyder of CBS Sports also thinks Hernandez should start:

Given King Felix’s pedigree, his excellent numbers and that he’s possibly having his best season — this time for a legitimate contender — he would make a fine choice. Factor in that he’s scheduled to start Friday and then the first game following the All-Star break, he would have to have a “throw day” in between. The first two innings of the All-Star Game will work perfectly. The pick seems logical and obvious, especially when you factor in he’s one of the generation’s best pitchers and hasn’t yet started an All-Star Game.

What should we expect from Hernandez in his first-ever start in the event? More dominance, of course:

Hernandez is one of the many reasons why the Seattle Mariners have been successful. In previous years, a shortage of run support has prevented him from winning his fair share of games. While wins don’t mean everything, pitchers certainly love seeing a bunch of tallies in the win column.

The NL lineup is very deep, so Hernandez probably won’t cruise through his two innings. I predict a baserunner or two, but look for him to keep the Senior Circuit off the scoreboard.

National League: Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig is one of the many first-time All-Stars this year, and you can bet that he’ll be amped up to play on this stage. He might get a little out of hand, though, and that could impact his performance:

He won’t have jitters, necessarily, but the excitement could easily get to him. This could cause errant throws from the outfield, over-aggressiveness on the basepaths and maybe even a few swings out of his shoes.

While every fan in the seats will be on the lookout for one of his signature bat flips, they probably won’t see one this time around.

He’s enjoying a great year thus far, slashing .307/.393/.516 with 12 homers and 50 RBI. Last year’s showing wasn’t an anomaly, and Puig will likely make several more trips to the All-Star game during his career as a result.

National League: Clayton Kershaw

Thirty-six. That’s the number of scoreless innings Kershaw has tossed in a row. He is on top of his game right now, and that’s a scary thought for the rest of the baseball world. There’s some time for him to surrender a run before the All-Star break, but that doesn’t mean he won’t throw shutout frames on the board at Target Field:

Kershaw’s catcher, A.J. Ellis, has noticed something different about Kershaw during this run, via Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times:

The biggest thing for me has been the consistency of the breaking balls. Usually, he’ll have his ‘A’ slider but maybe his ‘C’ or ‘D’ curveball or vice versa, where the slider’s not working but the curveball is. During this run, he’s had an ‘A’ curveball and an ‘A’ slider this entire time. They’re both just electric strikeout pitches, which is why I think you’re seeing him have strikeout totals that have been unmatched in his career. He gets to two strikes, he could go either way.

It’s going to be a long two innings for the AL if both his curve and slider are working again on July 15. When he can mix those pitches in with his fastball, he’s difficult to even make contact against—evidenced by his 115 strikeouts in 87.1 innings pitched this year.

Kershaw pitched a scoreless frame in last year’s game, and he’ll probably throw more zeros on the board in this one.

Other Stars

There are more than the aforementioned stars in this Midsummer Classic. Below are a few more players and how they’ll fare at Target Field:

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR

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The MLB trade deadline is creeping closer and closer, and the moves of this past weekend indicate that we could see even more action before July 31 than in previous years.

The Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics got things started on the Fourth of July, as Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel went over to the A’s in exchange for top prospect Addison Russell and other minor leaguers.

The New York Yankees also sought pitching help, but with the two aforementioned arms off the market, they had to settle for Brandon McCarthy. They sent Vidal Nuno back to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange.

What other players will be dealt before the deadline? Deadline acquisitions can alter the landscape of the league, and you can be sure that contending teams are looking to upgrade. Below are the latest rumors on names that could be on the move.

David Price

Now that Samardzija is off the market, David Price is the most coveted arm available. The left-hander has been dominant of late, and that won’t help other teams get him on the cheap.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports wrote about one potential suitor: “The Rays are willing to deal Price within the American League East, and the Blue Jays could make a credible offer by putting forward two of their top three prospects: Aaron Sanchez, Daniel Norris and Dalton Pompey.”

The fact that the Rays are willing to deal within the division is interesting. It’s rare that teams will move big players to a division rival, and especially one in the thick of a playoff race.

This could feasibly open the door for any of the AL East teams to make a move for Price. They all need pitching, and he’s the best arm out there.

That said, Morosi notes that it won’t be easy to get Price:

After general manager Andrew Friedman saw the haul Chicago got for Samardzija and Hammel, he would be wise to wait it out for a top prospect or two.

The Blue Jays can offer that, but do the other AL East teams have the trade chips? Probably not.

Chase Headley

It seems like the Yankees have been linked to Chase Headley for years now, but they finally have a legitimate need for his services. Just take a look at the to-date production from Yangervis Solarte (who has been sent down) and Kelly Johnson at the hot corner:

To be fair, Headley hasn’t been much better. He’s slashing just .219/.297/.332 with six homers and 25 RBI. It was only two seasons ago that he led the NL with 115 RBI, however, so the Yankees could probably grab him cheap and hope he rights the ship.

That appears to be the plan, as Morosi reports that the Yankees are really interested:

Headley would be the perfect rental for a team that is still in the playoff hunt despite multiple injuries to its pitching staff and hole after hole in the lineup.

Jacoby Ellsbury is really the only big-name position player they signed this offseason that is doing well. Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann have struggled mightily, and it shows in the inconsistencies of this lineup.

Adding Headley might not help right away, but as the weather warms up, we could see a rejuvenated hitter. Still just 30, Headley should have more than a few good swings left in him.

Dayan Viciedo

Teams in need of cheap power might call the Chicago White Sox in hopes that they’ll move Dayan Viciedo, reports ESPN Boston’s Gordon Edes:

But Viciedo just turned 25 in March, is being paid just $2.8 million this season, and would remain under a club’s control through the 2017 season. Despite his underachieving performance this season, his right-handed power might be an ideal fit in Fenway Park. 

Other teams have already approached the White Sox about him, including the contending Mariners and Giants, according to one major league source.

Viciedo has actually been remarkably consistent over the past three seasons, as you can see below:

He hits for good power and gives you an OPS around .730. It’s not great, but the fact that he can drive in runs at the bottom of the lineup makes him a valuable commodity.

The Red Sox could definitely use his bat, but I think the Seattle Mariners are the best fit. This team is surprisingly good. To take the next step, they need some more power. Viciedo is affordable, and he can be plugged into a corner outfield spot or designated hitter right away.

All he has to do is hit the ball far. There won’t be any pressure on him to do anything else. What you see is what you get with him, and that’s just fine for a team like Seattle.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR

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The international prospect market opens on July 2, and the New York Yankees are gearing up to spend a whole lot of money.

After spending over $300 million this past offseason on players like Masahiro Tanaka, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury, general manager Brian Cashman is now looking to boost his farm system with international talent.

But just how much will he spend? Kiley McDaniel of Scout.com, via Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, reports that they’ll spend a whole lot of money:

A source with direct knowledge of the Yankees plans says they aim to spend $12-15 million in bonuses on international amateurs this year, which would trigger penalties of about $10-12 million per to the 2-year old rules in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that limit international spending.

The total outlay of about $25 million would blow away a record the Texas Rangers set in 2011 of about $15 million, of all penalty-free bonuses. 

McDaniel also reports that the Yankees have multiple verbal deals on the table at this point in time. I’ll break down three of those players below.

The international signing period can be confusing at times given how unfamiliar fans are with the talent being signed. Read on to learn about the next crop of international talent.

Dermis Garcia, SS, Dominican Republic

Dominican shortstop Dermis Garcia is priority No. 1 for the Yankees. He’ll command a nice bonus—perhaps north of $3 million—and the Yankees will look to get him into the system quickly.

Garcia still has a ton of growing to do, so apparently there’s a chance he has to leave the shortstop position:

Regardless, Garcia’s bat is what’s going to make him money. While not a poor defender, Garcia relies mostly on athleticism in the field. At the plate, he uses a smooth swing to generate a ton of raw power—arguably the most in this international class.

He has power to all fields because of his approach at the plate. He uses quick hands to get to the ball inside, and he has shown great plate coverage to get to the ball on the outer half.

Strikeouts could become a problem with Garcia because of his all-or-nothing approach, but a little coaching in the United States should help him out tremendously.

Considered by many to be the top international free agent, Garcia alone will help boost the reputation of the Yankees’ system.

Nelson Gomez, 3B, Dominican Republic

The Yankees are clearly going after power this July, as Nelson Gomez is another player with a verbal agreement, per the above report from McDaniel.

Gomez has great power. His power in batting practice is jaw-dropping, and it translates pretty well over to games. Of course, live pitching in the states might give him some problems at first. That said, power is something that never gets lost in moving to a different league. Just ask Jose Abreu or Yoenis Cespedes.

If he stays in shape, Gomez can also be a weapon in the field. He has a great arm at the hot corner, but he’ll need to keep in shape to allow him to get to balls down the line and to his left. Should that not pan out, a future as a corner outfielder is likely.

Given the uncertainty of the future at third base for the Yankees, signing Gomez is smart. Alex Rodriguez might never play like his old self again, and Yangervis Solarte could very well be a one-hit wonder. He has been great in 2014, but who knows how he’ll be in 2015 and beyond?

Juan De Leon, OF, Dominican Republic

Juan De Leon doesn’t have the power of either Garcia or Gomez, but he might be the best overall hitter available. The outfielder uses a quick, efficient swing to hit during any count and against any pitch.

This swing makes it reasonable to believe that he’ll develop some more power with time, so I would say that he’s a safe bet for 15 to 20 home runs per season in the bigs. For someone who is a candidate to hit .290-plus, that’s just an added bonus.

He’s a very good athlete. Some say that he has the potential to develop all five tools, and that would make him a steal if the Yankees can grab him for about a $2 million bonus. Five-tool players are hard to come by in the international market, but De Leon might be one.

Aside from his skills at the plate, he is a good runner who uses his athleticism to play a great defensive outfield. He has a good arm and is overall an exciting player to watch.

While the Yankees have a logjam in the outfield for the next several seasons, De Leon could crack this roster in a few years when Beltran’s contract runs out.

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Living up to its purpose, this year’s spring training has answered a ton of roster-related questions for the New York Yankees.

The Yankees had three legitimate questions to answer heading into spring camp.

Who are the reserve middle infielders?

Who is the No. 5 starter?

Who is the backup catcher?

Those questions have all been answered, and the decisions made were rather easy ones. The players that stepped up in each of those respective areas have really set themselves apart from the rest of the competition. Manager Joe Girardi should feel confident heading into the regular season with this team.

There are always losers when other players win position battles, however. These guys simply couldn’t keep up with the strong performances of their teammates.

Here are some of the Yankees’ winners and losers from the spring.

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There has been much to like over the first several weeks of spring training for the New York Yankees, but there have also been some performances that have been incredibly disappointing.

The point of spring camp is to get started on the right foot for the regular season. Sure, it takes some guys a little while to get back in the swing of things, but even then it’s hard to explain some of these slow starts.

Sample sizes are often the first argument made against spring training numbers. To that I say, the numbers indicate a trend. If a player’s slump extends long enough, it might be impossible for him to get his numbers back to where they should be.

I don’t care how small a three-inning sample size is. If the pitcher had trouble getting outs and allowed 10 hits in those three innings (as a reliever that pitches an inning a game), something just isn’t right.

The following five players have, in my opinion, been the most disappointing Yankees in camp.

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Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias could miss “half the year or more,” reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

Heyman notes that further evaluation of what was thought to be shin splints revealed something much more severe. Given that Iglesias will be out an extended period of time, the Tigers will either have to search for another option or go in-house to fill the void.

Steve Lombardozzi would likely play short on Opening Day if the season were to start tomorrow.

Prior to knowing the extent of the injury, Tigers head trainer Kevin Rand told Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com about the injury:

We’re trying to manage his pain right now and get him some relief, because our feeling is if we’re able to get him some relief there, then he’d be able to resume his activity. He can run, but slowing down is where he has the biggest issue. And then the problem is that as he progresses, it gets a little worse.

Iglesias is known for his skills in the field and projects as a future Gold Glove winner at shortstop. He was fantastic at the plate in 2013, however, batting .330/.376/.409 with the Boston Red Sox before being dealt midseason to the Tigers.

In 46 games with Detroit, he came back down to Earth with a line of .259/.306/.348. Overall, he hit .303/.349/.386 with three homers and 29 RBI.

Detroit had big expectations for Iglesias in his first full season in the bigs, but now they will likely have to wait several months to see him in action. 

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