A couple weeks ago, I took an early look at baseball’s top trade targets, which included mostly players from teams that are rebuilding, retooling or, quite frankly, tanking. However, there is another group to add to that list of players who could be dealt before the trade deadline: players who could benefit from changes of scenery or are blocked by guys who play the same position. Here are some players who fit that criteria:
1. Billy Hamilton, CF, Cincinnati Reds
This is Hamilton’s fourth year with the Reds at the major league level, and his bat has not improved as much as most expected, as demonstrated by his declining slash lines -- from .250/.292/.355 in 2014 to .226/.274/.289 in 2015 -- and his starting this year batting just .185. He has improved his defense and his base stealing, but he must improve his on-base percentage to allow his blazing speed to have more of an offensive impact. Perhaps a change of scenery would help his development, with a possible landing spot being the Miami Marlins.