Focus on either getting your guy or on getting a good haul for that overachiever you’ve been shopping around. However, if you’re struggling to figure out which players you should buy or sell to aid your championship journey, we’ve got you covered. Our featured analysts have come together one last time for the 2022 season to share their top trade candidates ahead of the fantasy baseball trade deadline.

Q1. Which one MLB player are you trying to buy low and why? Also, who are you willing to give up for him?

Marcell Ozuna (DH/OF – ATL) 
“I would be looking to acquire Marcell Ozuna, especially if I need power numbers. Ozuna is only hitting .225 this season, but I believe he can improve on that. His expected batting average (xBA) is .260, which is much more palatable. Ozuna’s 9.8 percent barrel rate per plate appearance is 13th among 257 qualified hitters, and his 46 percent hard-hit rate ranks 43rd. The quality of his contact suggests that some improvement and regression towards the mean is likely. Atlanta has scored the second-most runs in the National League, so Ozuna should drive in a bunch of runs over the final two months of the season. Depending on your needs, I would be fine with trading a player like Bryan Reynolds for Ozuna. Reynolds has a reputation as a better pure hitter, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he and Ozuna have a similar batting average going forward. And Ozuna offers a higher ceiling in the power department.”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

Tyler O’Neill (OF – STL) 
“I would buy low on St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill. The 27-year-old has struggled this season, slashing .239/.302/.362 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 27 runs and seven stolen bases over 51 games. Hamstring and wrist injuries have limited the Cardinals slugger, but since returning on July 14th, O’Neill is starting to heat up. He has homered and collected a hit in four of his last six games. O’Neill smashed 31 homers and stole 15 bags in 2021, doing most of his damage in the second half. Now that O’Neill has recovered from his injuries, it’s time for fantasy managers to trade for him. There is potential to acquire a player who can contribute in both power and speed at a relatively low cost due to his notorious slow start to the year. To acquire O’Neill, I would give up any player outside the top-75 hitters in the FantasyPros expert consensus rankings. ”
– Brad Camara (RotoBaller)

Tyler Mahle (SP – CIN) 
“Tyler Mahle. Mahle got off to a terrible start, but over his last 12 starts, he’s sporting a 3.59 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 10 strikeouts per nine. He’s only got three wins to show for it, but the Reds are playing much better, so that category should tick up down the stretch, too (assuming they don’t trade away half the team). On the year, Mahle’s FIP is 3.79, and his xERA is 3.31 — both far below his ERA of 4.48. Thus, some positive regression seems likely. I’d happily exchange him for Jameson Taillon, Merrill Kelly or Cole Irvin, none of whom have the strikeout upside. ”
– Scott Youngson (Pitcher List)

Miguel Andujar (OF – NYY) 
“I decided to focus on trade deadline candidates in this week’s edition of our Buy Low, Sell High series. One player who is essentially free right now is Miguel Andujar. After a breakout campaign in 2018, he’s been buried by a deep Yankees roster and system. He probably won’t ever be as good as he looked in 2018 (if he were that good, he’d have earned a starting spot in New York by now), but he could still be a productive player for an MLB team and your fantasy squad. He’s a prime candidate to be traded this week as the Yankees look for upgrades elsewhere, and he could find himself in the upper half of a lineup if he lands in the right situation. Scoop him up and stash him while he’s free.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Check out our trade values for all players in our weekly Fantasy Baseball Trade Value Chart

Q2. Which one MLB player are you trying to sell high right now and why? Also, who would you try to get in return?

Brandon Drury (1B/2B/3B/DH/OF – CIN) 
“I would sell-high on Cincinnati Reds infielder Brandon Drury. The former Arizona Diamondback has shown no signs of slowing this season. He is slashing .274/.333/.523 with a career-high 19 homers, 57 RBI, 59 runs and two stolen bases over 85 games. The 29-year-old continues to thrive in Cincinnati, hitting at the top of the order in one of baseball’s best hitter ballparks, The Great American Ball Park. Drury’s breakout campaign has come out of nowhere, as injuries have derailed his career, and he never hit more than 16 homers in any given year. The Reds are out of the playoff race and will sell at the deadline. Drury reportedly has been rumored to be traded, which could impact his fantasy value. Even though Drury continues to produce, fantasy managers should sell high before the Reds trade him to maximize their return. I would take any hitter within the top-75 FantasyPros expert consensus rankings. ”
– Brad Camara (RotoBaller)

“I’m selling on Brandon Drury for a couple of reasons. First, his expected statistics (.245 xBA, .432 xSLG, .322 xwOBA) suggest that while he is a serviceable bat, he is nowhere near the top-30 fantasy hitter he has been to this point in the season. It is also highly likely the Reds trade Drury in the coming days. That could lead to a reduction in plate appearances, which would affect his counting stats. Finding a replacement for Drury’s multi-positional eligibility could be tough. But Amed Rosario is a suitable fill-in who is eligible at both MI and OF. And you might be able to squeeze out a little more value if an unsuspecting manager truly believes Drury will keep up his torrid pace for another two months. ”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

C.J. Cron (1B/DH – COL) 
“Through 94 games, C.J. Cron is batting .290 with 22 home runs and an OPS just under .900. Over the last two seasons for the Rockies, he has 50 home runs in 236 games. His Hard Hit% and Exit Velocity numbers are both solid. Everything looks good, right? Here’s the problem. Cron is another player who could be on the move this week. He’s under team control through 2023 at an affordable $7.25 million, which makes him an attractive addition for a team in a win-now window for the next couple of years. The concern for fantasy managers is Cron’s Home/Away splits. At Coors Field this season, he’s batting .352 with 16 home runs in 50 games. On the road, he’s hitting just .219 with six home runs in 44 games. In 2021, those splits look similar. Sell high before the trade deadline and see if you can turn Cron into a pitching upgrade like Framber Valdez or Nestor Cortes Jr. ”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Dansby Swanson (SS – ATL) 
“Dansby Swanson. Swanson is having a career year, but I expect his production will taper off the rest of the way — especially his batting average. His .375 BABIP isn’t sustainable, and he’s still striking out over 26% of the time. I’d bet he hits closer to .250 the rest of the way. He’s also set a career-high in stolen bases already, so I don’t see him continuing to swipe bags at this rate. He’ll still be productive, but if a frustrated Alex Bregman or Tim Anderson manager wants to make a deal, I’m all in.”
– Scott Youngson (Pitcher List)

Thank you to the experts for naming their trade candidates. Make sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more great advice all season and check out our Leading Off Podcast every single day for quick-hitting takeaways and advice.

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