Top offseason trade targets for the Shortstops

The free agent market is relatively thin at shortstop and in the outfield — two areas where the Braves should be looking to upgrade this offseason. The market for starting pitchers, however, is robust. There are plenty to choose from across a wide range of price tags, plus a lot of really intriguing options that should be on the move this winter via trade.

This continues our series covering the top trade targets at each position of need for the Braves, moving on to the longest-standing hole on the roster: shortstop.

If you missed the first part of this series, follow the link below:

• Top offseason trade targets: Starting Pitchers

Jeremy Peña

Peña is entering the final year of his contract, and the Astros no longer appear to be serious contenders in the American League. That puts them at a crossroads. Do they keep chasing glory, which would require an extension for their star shortstop, or is it time to retool the roster?

If the latter is the route they take, trading Peña is an obvious offseason move for Houston. He’s an All-Star shortstop who’s posted an OPS above .800 in each of the last two seasons, and what makes him especially attractive for the Braves is that while he has pop in his bat, he’s a guy who can hit .300 and won’t strike out too much. Atlanta needs more players like that in the lineup. Peña should be at the top of their list of trade candidates if the Astros make him available.

Corey Seager

There have been murmurs connecting Corey Seager to the Braves dating back to last offseason, and the Rangers are another organization that seems to be mulling a potential rebuild. When healthy, Seager is an absolute monster. He’s a five-time All-Star and World Series MVP who owns an .860 OPS for his career.

The issue is he’s had problems staying healthy. He hasn’t played in more than 123 games since 2022. On top of that, Seager will be 33 next season, and he’s still owed $155 million until he’s 37. The Rangers would surely have to pay down some of that money if they wanted to move him, but with Ozzie Albies set to become a free agent next offseason, there could be a way this works in Atlanta.

Zach Neto

The Angels have new ownership and a new front office, which means they finally seem to be thinking clearly. This is an organization that needed to blow it up and rebuild a decade ago, but they kept trying to hang onto some shred of competitiveness, which set them back for years.

The rebuild began at this year’s trade deadline, when the Angels shipped off several valuable pieces. Most expect that to continue this offseason, with Zach Neto being someone teams will be calling on. Neto has posted 5+ WAR in each of the last three seasons. He’s 26 and isn’t a free agent until 2030. That’s going to make him extraordinarily expensive in terms of prospect capital, but he would be the long-term answer at shortstop the Braves have been looking for.

Gunnar Henderson

It’s been reported that the Orioles will listen on all of their players this offseason outside of Pete Alonso. That includes star shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who is a couple of years removed from an 8.8 WAR season that landed him fourth in the AL MVP voting.

Henderson’s numbers have plummeted dramatically since that campaign, as he recorded just 3.2 WAR to go along with a .712 OPS this year. However, if you’re thinking this is a buy-low option, think again. Henderson is still immensely talented, just 26 years old, and comes with two years of team control. The Orioles are going to get a king’s ransom for him, or they aren’t going to trade him at all.

Otto Lopez

It’s also been reported that the Marlins will listen on Otto Lopez. The Miami shortstop is coming off a career year, posting 6.1 WAR while leading the league in hits and hitting over .300. That’s the kind of table-setter the Braves’ lineup needs. He also isn’t a free agent until 2030.

The Marlins have made big trades inside the division before, but the Braves would certainly have to pay some sort of tax to acquire Lopez. That could be worth it if they believe he’ll continue at the rate he played this season, but that’s the only elite season he has to his name.