5 James Paxton Trade Packages For Selling Seattle Mariners

James Paxton to the Cubs for Albert Almora, Alex Lange, and Adbert Alzolay

Lets start right at the top. Albert Almora is really just a fill in the blank of a young Cubs position player. Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ, and Javy Baez could easily fill that spot. Personally, I prefer Happ to Almora, but I am looking for the best overall package I can get. Demanding Happ over Almora would certainly lower the auxiliary pieces the Mariners could demand.

Getting back to Almora, he does poses an interesting skill set. He has the athleticism to play all 3 outfielder spots well, and could be a Gold Glove winner in a corner spot. He has well above-average speed, but is still trying to learn how to use it on the base paths.

Offensively, Almora is a high contact free swinger who does have some pop in his bat. A career .292/.330/.448 career slash over 440 career plate appearances is promising. Almora shows a solid average power tool, and at 23 years old, there is still time to tap into that potential.

Overall, Almora has the opportunity to turn into a 15 homer, 15 steal, defensive-minded outfielder. His high contact swing should allow him to hit for average as well. The floor is a solid platoon partner, as Almora has crushed LHP to the tune of a .342/.411/.486 slash line.

Lange and Alzolay would give the Mariners something they desperately lack in their organization: high upside pitching. Lange, the first round pick of the Cubs in 2017, figures to be a quick to the big league guy, with a plus fastball and curveball combo that could make him a lock down closer. However, the changeup shows real promise, and a career as a #3 starter is definitely possible.

Alzolay is really starting to climb through the ranks, and could be MLB ready by late 2018. His 94 mph fastball has run to it, and he throws a hard curveball that should play as above-average in the big leagues. Whether or not Alzolay can master the changeup will determine his faith as a starter. However, his mastery of the strike zone will give him a fighting change.

This trade would net the Mariners an every day, 23-year-old outfielder, and 2 possible middle of the rotation arms who should be ready by 2019. But does that top our next package?