Four Realistic Zach Neto Trade Packages We Made With a Value Simulator

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After shipping catcher Logan O’Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth to the Rangers on Wednesday night, the Angels appear prepared to sell at the trade deadline––a logical stance to take considering where the team is at present. At 42–67, the team is already out of postseason contention, and it could get a head start on the rebuild it desperately needs to commit to by offloading some of its high-value talent at the MLB trade deadline.

Among the players it would make sense for the Halos to part ways with is shortstop Zach Neto. Capitalizing on the standout shortstop’s value right now would be a wise move on the part of the Angels, who could secure themselves a hefty haul of prospects in exchange for the 25-year-old. Neto would come with multiple years of team control remaining on his contract, not set to hit free agency until after the 2029 season.

In a limited shortstop market, Neto would drive a high price and could be the catalyst the Angels are looking for to restock their farm system and begin building for the future. Neto would have plenty of suitors, especially given the demand for right-handed hitters, which is far greater than the supply available on the market. Teams in need of a middle-infield upgrade would be hard pressed to find a better option than Neto, if the Angels are indeed willing to part with him.

Using the tools provided by Baseball Trade Values, we’re going to create some realistic trade packages that could convince Anaheim to part ways with Neto at the trade deadline.

Note: All prospect rankings are according to MLB Pipeline.

Braves

Braves receive: SS Zach Neto
Angels receive: RHP JR Ritchie, SS Tate Southisene (Braves’ No. 3 prospect), RHP Luke Sinnard (No. 10), OF Conor Essenburg (No. 12)

The Braves have used a handful of different players at shortstop this season, including Mauricio Dubón, Jorge Mateo and Jim Jarvis. They could find some needed stability at the position, while enhancing their chances at competing for a World Series in a crowded National League, by pulling the trigger on a blockbuster deal to acquire Neto. Neto’s defense leaves plenty to be desired, but he could provide the team with some additional pop at the plate. Braves shortstops rank 28th in MLB with a 70 wRC+, better than only the Rays and Rockies. Neto, meanwhile, has spearheaded Angels shortstops to the seventh-best wRC+ (112) and owns a .757 OPS with 19 home runs, 46 RBIs and 14 stolen bases this year. He’s compiled back-to-back 5-plus WAR seasons for some lackluster Angels teams, and would benefit greatly from joining a more potent Braves offense.

As for the cost, Atlanta would need to be willing to part with a young arm, two of its top 10 prospects and a lottery ticket. It’s a steep price, but Neto would bring this offense to the next level.

JR Ritchie, 23, would be a headlining piece of the deal. Ritchie has shuffled between the bullpen and the starting rotation this year. He owns a 4.50 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched, and could be an intriguing piece to compete for a spot in Anaheim’s rotation for years to come. The Braves could also provide the Angels with their shortstop of the future in Tate Southisene. The 19-year-old is Atlanta’s No. 3 prospect and remains a few years away from reaching the majors, but he’s impressed in the minor leagues, having recently been promoted to Double A. Across 90 games this year, Southisene has 12 home runs, 46 RBIs and 45 stolen bases. Luke Sinnard is an imposing figure on the mound at 6' 8" and has impressive stuff to go with it, touching the upper 90s with his fastball along with a plus slider and decent splitter. Outfielder Conor Essenburg was a fifth-round pick in ‘25, and owns a .969 OPS this season at Single A. The 19-year-old has 14 home runs and 40 RBIs across 57 games. This package of players would provide the Angels with some high-upside building blocks, as well as an MLB-ready starter.

Rays

Rays receive: SS Zach Neto
Angels receive: C Nathan Flewelling (Rays’ No. 2 prospect), RHP Brody Hopkins (No. 5), OF Slater de Brun (No. 14), RHP Gary Gill Hill (No. 26)

The Rays have a need in the middle infield, where they’ve had limited production offensively from the likes of Taylor Walls and Ben Williamson. Neto could help fortify Tampa Bay’s offense as they look to maintain their lead over the Yankees in the AL East, and potentially end the season as the American League’s No. 1 seed. Neto would be an excellent complement to the team’s nucleus of Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda, and could help fuel a World Series run for Tampa Bay.

Heading to Anaheim in this deal would be catcher Nathan Flewelling. The 19-year-old is the team’s No. 2 prospect at 19 years old, currently playing at High A where he’s recorded a .853 OPS with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs in 84 games. He’s blazing through the minor leagues, and looks like a promising future MLB player. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins, Tampa’s top pitching prospect, would also join the Angels. Hopkins is 24 and could be in MLB as early as next year, where his high strikeout stuff should play, though he’ll need to improve his control. Hopkins has 99 strikeouts against 77 walks in 81 2/3 innings this year, logging a 4.63 ERA at Triple A. He has an excellent fastball and curveball, and a solid slider, too. Outfielder Slater de Brun, the No. 37 pick in the ‘25 draft, is an undersized left-handed-hitting speedster who’s excellent in the field and has been likened to D-Backs star Corbin Carroll except with less power. Gill Hill, 21, is young for a Double A player but likely has a ceiling as a back-end starter due to his lackluster strikeout rate.

Red Sox

Red Sox receive: SS Zach Neto
Angels receive: SS Marcelo Mayer, C Franklin Primera (Red Sox’ No. 6 prospect), RHP Marcus Phillips (No. 11), RHP John Holobetz (No. 13)

The Red Sox first deal of trade season didn’t go their way. After paying a high price to land Curtis Mead from the Nationals, the infielder suffered a fractured wrist in his first game with his new team, and could miss the rest of the season. That shouldn’t dissuade Boston from being aggressive at the trade deadline. The team’s 15-game winning streak catapulted them back into postseason contention, and they should continue looking to add pieces prior to Aug. 3. Trading for Neto would show the Red Sox mean business this season, and they’d also be securing a key piece for the future in doing so.

To land Neto, though, they’d need to offload some young MLB-ready talent, as well as some high-upside prospects.

Marcelo Mayer, once considered the team’s shortstop of the future, could be included to acquire a more sure thing in Neto. Mayer hasn’t been too sharp this season, but is still just 23 years old, making him a very intriguing piece for the Angels, who will hope he can reach his potential as he continues to develop. Catcher Franklin Primera is just 19 but has impressed in the minor leagues this year, logging a 1.090 OPS with nine home runs and 35 RBIs across 50 games at rookie ball and Single A. Righthander Marcus Phillips, the No. 33 pick in the 2025 draft, is a few years off from being MLB ready, but he has plenty of upside as a future starter with a fastball that touches triple digits, a plus slider and a wicked changeup that needs to be harnessed for better control. Holobetz is more of a sure bet to make the majors and should debut next year—he was just promoted to Triple A and turned 24 on Friday—but his secondary stuff is nothing special and could limit his ceiling.

Yankees

Yankees receive: SS Zach Neto
Angels receive: SS Dax Kilby (Yankees’ No. 2 prospect), RHP Elmer Rodriguez (No. 3), RHP Ben Hess (No. 6), RHP Chase Hampton (No. 21)

Although the Yankees have their shortstop of the future in George Lombard Jr., adding Neto to help this year’s push for a World Series would be a great pickup. The team is desperately seeking a right-handed batter like Neto at the trade deadline, and since he struggles defensively at shortstop, could change positions by the time Lombard gets promoted. The team still seems to be clinging on to the belief that Anthony Volpe can unlock his potential, but as New York pursues its first title since 2009, Neto could be a game-changing acquisition.

A deal for Neto would require the Yankees to part ways with some of its best prospects. Dax Kilby, the No. 39 pick in the 2025 draft, could be the headlining prospect. Kilby, 19, has been shelved with a hamstring injury for much of this season, but last year the left-handed hitter had a .898 OPS across 18 games in Single A, where he recorded more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) and had 16 stolen bases. The Yankees could also include Elmer Rodriguez as an intriguing pitching prospect for the arms-starved Angels. Rodriguez, 22, is New York’s No. 3 prospect, and has pitched in MLB this season as a spot starter. In 15 starts at Triple A this year, Rodriguez has a 2.93 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. Ben Hess is a strapping figure at 6'5" and 255 pounds, and has drawn comparisons to former MLB starter Lance Lynn due to his stature and arsenal, which features a plus fastball and slider. But he needs to work on his command at Double A, where he owns a 3.94 ERA in 14 outings and has 55 strikeouts and 24 walks in 45 2/3 innings.

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