Seattle Mariners: 5 Best Trade Spots for Outfielder Mitch Haniger

2. Chicago White Sox

The Atlanta Braves might make the most sense, but the Chicago White Sox are my personal favorite match for the Mariners regarding Mitch Haniger. They, like the Braves, have the prospect depth and quality to match Dipoto’s high asking price.

Why are they not quite as obvious match as the Braves? Mostly, it has to do with their timeline. The Braves made the playoffs in 2018, and are right in the middle of their playoff window. The White Sox are pre-window.

However, this off-season, Chicago has clearly been trying to jumpstart their window by a year or two. They have been heavily connected to both Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. Machado seems more likely than Harper, both if neither sign in Chicago, perhaps the White Sox just wait for more organic growth.

If Machado signs, the Sox could very well increase their pursuit of Haniger, believing the addition of the two all-stars may push them to the top of a weak AL Central. If they sign Harper, it may not make much sense to acquire another corner outfielder, as top prospect Eloy Jiminez will soon be with the big league club.

So there are a couple of hiccups with the White Sox as a Haniger match, but with prospects like Dylan Cease, Nick Madrigal, Luis Roberts, Michael Kopech, Dane Dunning, as well as MLB pieces like Reynaldo Lopez and Yoan Moncada, they have to be at the top of any list.