Orioles Surprising Star Sees Trade Deadline Value Rising Significantly

The Baltimore Orioles season this year has been a complete nightmare based on where they thought and hoped they might be ahead of the campaign.

Having entered the All-Star break already out of contention and dropping their first series since play resumed this past weekend against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Orioles are expected to have a fire sale over the next week and a half ahead of the trade deadline.

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Baltimore already signaled their direction when they shipped off a productive reliever in Bryan Baker within the division to Tampa Bay, and Baker may be just the first in a very long line of names to be traded.

With guys like Cedric Mullins, Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano all set to hit free agency after this season, there's a ton of options for teams to inquire about with the Orioles.

One name who is not getting as much buzz however might just prove to be Baltimore's most significant asset based on the way he's played over the last several months. On a one-year contract, outfielder Ramón Laureano has rebounded from a very tough start to become one of the deadline's most intriguing players.

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Laureano was named by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com to his list of players who have seen their stock rise ahead of the deadline

"Laureano’s season started slowly; he hit .197 with five home runs, eight RBIs and a .722 OPS in his first 31 games," Feinsand wrote. "A four-hit game on May 16 sparked Laureano, who hit .333 with six home runs, 27 RBIs and a .947 OPS over his final 37 games before the break, showing that the eight-year veteran can still produce at a high level."

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Over 71 games this year, Laureano owns an overall slash line of .276/.340/.498 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI. His one-year deal had the Orioles been contending is a huge bargain at just $4 million; however, Baltimore can still reap the rewards by getting some prospects in return for half a season of the 31-year-old.

It should be noted there is a club option for a second season at just $6.5 million, which raises Laureano's value significantly as well.

With stock that has risen immensely over the last two months, the Orioles making Laureano available is a no-brainer at this point, and on paper there should be multiple teams interested.

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If things were to play out that way, it's a best-case scenario for Baltimore and could create some kind of a bidding war for a player who was largely an afterthought going into the season.

Over the next 11 days or so, keep an eye on the rumor mill surrounding Laureano and outfield-needy teams. He could prove to be a perfect fit for someone, and in turn give the Orioles some legitimate value in return.

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