Baltimore Orioles Slugger Could be Top of Market at Trade Deadline

The Baltimore Orioles are playing some solid baseball, but there is still a lot of work to be done to become a contender once again.

After a dreadful start to the season, the Orioles are finding their groove of late. The pitching staff has been much better overall compared to the start of the year, and the lineup has also come alive a bit as well.

Baltimore still has numerous key players on the injured list, but the team has seemingly not given up on the campaign just yet.

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Despite the recent success, this is still a team that is well under .500 and in last place in the American League East. It is going to take quite a run to get back into the mix, but there is still time.

However, if things don’t turn around before the trade deadline, they will have numerous players that could be flipped for assets.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins being one of the best players potentially available this summer.

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“Factoring in that he's also a quality defender, him hitting the market would give teams a chance to land a true rarity in MLB for the stretch run and playoffs: a dual-threat center fielder,” he wrote.

Even though the lineup has had some disappointments to begin the year, the team has had some standout performers like Mullins.

The former All-Star was having a great start to the year prior to hitting the injured list, but the good news is that it doesn’t appear like he will be out for long.

So far this campaign, he has slashed .232/.324/.448 with 10 home runs, 31 RBI, and eight stolen bases.

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Mullins has totaled at least 30 stolen bases three times in his career so far, with a lifetime slugging percentage of .426. The combination of both power and speed makes him a very appealing player should he be available this summer.

In addition to what he can do at the plate and on the bases, he plays a strong defensive center field as well.

While the Orioles will have a couple of good trade pieces this summer if they decide to sell, Mullins will arguably be the best.

The plans for Baltimore could certainly change in the next month and a half depending on how well they perform. However, as of now, it appears like the team will still be a seller. If that ends up being the case, they should receive a strong package for Mullins.

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