Tigers Can Only Consider Trading Top Prospects at Deadline For These Four Stars

The Detroit Tigers have long been expected by fans and pundits to be aggressive at the trade deadline when it comes to making upgrades.

Whether or not that strategy has changed due to the fact they are struggling right now remains to be seen, however one strategy was going to be in place regardless. President of baseball operations Scott Harris was not likely to trade his top prospects in exchange for rental players.

The Tigers have the best farm system in baseball and realistically the ammunition to go get anyone they want, but they should not consider dealing from the top of the stash unless there's a very special return coming back.

Here are four players who Detroit can potentially consider the top of the farm in exchange for their services:

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Félix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles RP

One year removed from missing all of 2024 with Tommy John surgery, Bautista is back to dominating and shutting games down for the Orioles.

He has posted an ERA of 2.60 this year with 50 strikeouts in 34.2 innings pitched while collecting 19 saves on a very bad Baltimore team. Most importantly, he has two more years of team control after this year under arbitration.

In theory, Bautista should get even better the further he is removed from the surgery, and the Tigers would have a new shutdown closer for the next two and a half years. The Orioles will have to be blown away by an offer to trade him, and Detroit is capable of making that happen.

Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians RP

Admittedly, this one is a complete long shot.

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Cleveland does not want to trade their superstar closer to Detroit, and the Tigers do not want to deal elite prospects to their biggest rival only for them to make them pay for the next decade.

From a standpoint of Detroit having a crippling need at closer though and the capital to go out and get Clase, the fit at least is there. Beyond that though, it's tough to envision an actual scenario where he's wearing a Tigers uniform.

With one of the best contracts in baseball though and production at closer which speaks for itself, it goes without saying that Clase is worth offering a significant return for.

Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins RHP

Ryan has established himself this season as a legitimate star this year, pitching to a 2.63 ERA and 0.903 WHIP over his first 20 appearances with a 10-4 record and impressive bWAR of 4.5.

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The need for a legitimate starting pitcher for Detroit has been hotly debated over the last few weeks, but adding a second ace to the top of the rotation to pair with Tarik Skubal would make the Tigers a tough out no matter who they faced in October.

Ryan is arbitration eligible for two more years after 2025 and would instantly boost the overall staff. Minnesota is not inclined to trade him at all though let alone to a division rival, so it would take a serious return from Detroit.

Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax, Minnesota Twins RPs

Technically this is more than four player, but neither Duran nor Jax alone is worth dealing from the top of the farm system for the Tigers.

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A combination of both though in what would be a blockbuster completely reshapes a Detroit bullpen which is perhaps the team's biggest issue right now.

Duran is having a career year with a 1.90 ERA in 47 appearances, and while Jax's 4.00 ERA is down from his standards, he has struck out 70 batters in just 45 innings and is clearly capable of turning things around statistically.

If somehow someway the Tigers could pull off a trade for the two stud relievers -- both arbitration eligible for the next two years -- from their rival, it would be worth one of their big name prospects. It's another unlikely one, but it would be phenomenal for the championship chances of Detroit.

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