This year's installment is the second edition to attempt to figure out what players have the most value in the league heading into the 2040 trade deadline. Essentially, the best way to look at a player’s placement on this list is to ask “Would you trade him, straight up, for any of the guys listed ahead of him?”
You can check out last year's list in these forum posts.
A few notes about what you'll see below:
- Ratings (OVERALL/POTENTIAL) are as of July 28, 2040
- 2040 WAR figures are through July 28, 2040 and projected out for the rest of the season
- Salary figures in grey italics are projected arbitration totals
- Players selected in the 2040 First Year Draft were not considered for the list due to lack of professional experience
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#50 - Knud Zeitler, San Fernando, SP 60/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 24 | 2.1 | $2,030,000 |
2039 | 25 | 4.4 | $5,250,000 |
2040 | 26 | 6.5 | $6,200,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $17,600,000
REMAINING AAV: $8,800,000
Zeitler and teammate Sergei Hopkins gives the Bears two solid, young left-handers to head their rotation. Once ranked the #11 prospect in the BBA, Zeitler has overcome two UCL injuries and is in the midst of a breakout season. With his injury history, salary soon to bump up a few millions (albeit on consecutive team options) and good but unspectacular ratings, Zeitler is unlikely to find himself ranked this high for the rest of his career but he's still a value asset for San Fernando, in both terms of talent and a potential trade chip.
#49 - Millard Younger, Atlantic City, CF 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: 29
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 20 | 5.6 | $1,000,000 |
2039 | 21 | 5.7 | $1,000,000 |
2040 | 22 | 3.1 | $1,000,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $24,400,000
REMAINING AAV: $8,133,333
Referred to in last year's edition as "one of the more surprising standouts in the Brewster," Younger's production has dropped after two All-Star seasons, emphasizing his surprise early-career success. Younger is expected to cash in on the last three years of arbitration, but he's still a young, toolsy centerfielder, one of the more attractive archetypes coveted by teams in the league.
#48 - Dan Cannon, Rockville, SP 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 29 | 6.4 | $18,000,000 |
2039 | 30 | 8.4 | $18,000,000 |
2040 | 31 | 7.3 | $17,180,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $111,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $22,200,000
#47 - Dave Martin, Rockville, SP 60/60
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 29 | 6.4 | $11,000,000 |
2039 | 30 | 6.6 | $11,000,000 |
2040 | 31 | 7.3 | $11,060,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $21,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $10,500,000
The Rockville teammates are the only two players in their 30s to make the Top 50. Cannon debuts on the list as one the best, if not very best, pitchers in the entire league, however his age and salary (highest AAV in the Top 50) nearly kept him off. But despite those two factors, when you average over 7 WAR over the last three seasons as a lefty with virtually no injury history, you are still damn valuable. Martin is just nearly as dominant as Cannon and is peaking despite on the wrong-side of 30. Martin's lower AAV in relation to Cannon, thanks to an extension signed in 2037 that is looking like a bargain, gives him slightly more trade value, however he could opt out after 2041 for one final mega-contract, so the risk of just one more season of team control is a slight knock. With the on-going demands of "I need pitching" littered throughout the Trade Block forum, these two premiere arms carry tremendous value for Rockville.
#46 - Andrew Torres, Madison, CF 55/55
PREVIOUS RANK: 8
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 21 | 2.3 | $500,000 |
2039 | 22 | 4.6 | $500,000 |
2040 | 23 | 3.3 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $19,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $6,333,333
Torres has had a solid, if not unspectacular, start to his career. On-pace for a second straight season with a .330+ batting average, scouts have soured on Torres since last year, notably due to his inability to standout in center (slightly better suited for left field) and growing platoon splits. But despite some of the knocks and dropping out of the top ten in last year's rankings, Torres offers excellent production and the Wolves have done well to get the most out of him. The new regime in Madison could look to sell-high before Torres' trade value drops any more.
#45 - Joey Newhouse, Nashville, 3B 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: 38
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 22 | 2.2 | $500,000 |
2039 | 23 | 5.9 | $500,000 |
2040 | 24 | 4.1 | $3,650,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $15,700,000
REMAINING AAV: $7,850,000
After a breakout season in 2039, "The Dart" continues to contribute while splitting playing time between first and third base. Newhouse falls several spots from last year's inaugural list due to his salary climbing in the final years of arbitration. Newhouse will never been the centerpiece of a championship team, but as a solid corner infielder in his 20s, any team would love to have him.
#44 - Jorge Álvarez, San Antonio, SP 70/70
PREVIOUS RANK: 27
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 21 | -- | $500,000 |
2039 | 22 | 2.5 | $500,000 |
2040 | 23 | 3.1 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $6,700,000
REMAINING AAV: $2,233,333
Despite currently on the injured list (torn rotator cuff), Álvarez finds himself on the list for a second-straight year. Álvarez's stuff and three-pitch repertoire is off-the-charts, however his lack of control and movement, along with a growing injury history (missed all of 2038 to Tommy John surgery) are red flags to temper expectations. In addition to his 101 MPH heavy fastball, Álvarez is slated to make less than $3M in AAV for the next three years of arbitration, which helps his overall trade value.
#43 - Chandler Hall, Edmonton, SP 55/70
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 18 | -- | minor leagues |
2039 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
2040 | 20 | 3.3 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $17,400,000
REMAINING AAV: $2,900,000
Ranked the #14 prospect heading into 2040, "Cat" has already seen his trade value tested. Edmonton acquired Hall from Hawaii in the middle of last season in a deal that's looking like a steal for the Jackrabbits. In his rookie season, Hall has looked impressive and scouts love his entire game. The one factor that will play a role in Hall's career trajectory is his health; at 21-years-old, he 6'0" righty has already landed on the injured list three times, including a 10-month stint in 2037 for a torn elbow tendon.
#42 - Don Smith, Des Moines, SP 55/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 17
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 18 | -- | high school |
2039 | 19 | 1.0 | $500,000 |
2040 | 20 | 2.1 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $21,200,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,240,000
THE GOOD: 4th overall pick in 2038 draft; became youngest player in BBA history to throw a no-hitter earlier this season; scouts drool over his combination of dominance and control
THE BAD: Likely to miss the rest of this year with shoulder inflammation, already his third shoulder ailment at age 20
THE UGLY: Des Moines' front office arguably rushed Smith to the big leagues, burning two season of control in exchange for just 3.1 WAR
Smith is going to be a good pitcher, but the decision to call him up in 2038 as a raw 19-year-old may or may not affect his development into an excellent pitcher. Plus his debut started his arbitration clock early for a team not ready to contend. It remains to be seen if his value is greater as part of the Kernels' rotation or as a trade chip to improve the organization.
#41 - Armando Feliciano, Louisville, SP 50/80
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
---|---|---|---|
2038 | 18 | -- | minor leagues |
2039 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
2040 | 20 | 0.7 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $17,400,000
REMAINING AAV: $2,900,000
The man they call "Commie Child" has long carried trade value since being drafted third overall in 2037. For three consecutive seasons, Feliciano has ranked no lower than the #6 overall prospect. A torn UCL last year kept him out of the Top 50, however this year's debut won't be his last. Feliciano's first two career starts in the Brewster shows his potential (2-0, 2.57 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) and while he's still very raw, "Commie Child" could turn out to be one of the top pitchers in the league for the next ten years.