3 likely destinations IF Seattle Mariners trade Mitch Haniger

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The biggest tidbit of the Mariners off-season dropped yesterday when it was reported by Ken Rosenthal of “The Athletic” that Seattle has been asked about the availability of Mitch Haniger. Today, we present some options.

Mariners fans were briefly awoken from their late autumn slumber with the word that teams are at least interested in talking about outfielder Mitch Haniger. This isn’t a major surprise as, despite Haniger missing nearly 100 games with a ruptured testicle and back problems, he is still a valuable player.

Entering his age-29 season and having 3 full seasons of club control remaining, a lot of teams should be interested in Haniger, especially considering the poor free-agent market. And while we do not know if these conversations are anything more than the obligatory due diligence, it none the less makes us wonder who are the best fits for the 2018 All-Star.

So today, let’s take a look at 3 teams who are most likely interested in acquire the one, the only, Mitchell Evan Haniger.

1. Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are currently where the Mariners hope to be this time next year. They are entering this off-season as clear buyers, despite not being able to break the 80 win mark in 2019. But with Sonny Gray and Trevor Bauer locked into the rotation and players like Nick Senzel and Eugenio Suarez to anchor their lineup, the Reds are ready to attack the NL Central.

But they need more to get there, particularly on the offensive side of the game. But like the Mariners, they are a mid-market club and are unlikely to spend their way to the top of their division. Adding Haniger is more than a 1-year fix for the Reds and will help fill a major need without costing major dollars.

Haniger’s ability to play all 3 outfield spots is an added bonus, as the Reds current outfield situation is less than ideal. Adding a defender like Haniger allows them to focus more on talent than fit.

The Reds need outfielders and the market isn’t exactly fruitful this winter. With Trevor Bauer in the last year of his deal and Joey Votto‘s continued decline, the Reds would be wise to take advantage of an NL Central that see the Pirates and Cubs entering some stage of a rebuild.

Cincinnati has the prospect and/or young MLB talent Dipoto will want and if the Reds are willing to pay a fair price, they make a lot of sense for the Mariners as trade partners.

2. St. Louis Cardinals

Another team that makes a lot of sense for Haniger is the Reds division rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Like the Reds, the Cardinals are entering this off-season as buyers and have the pieces to get a deal done. And like the Reds, they have an obvious need in their outfield.

Marcel Ozuna is almost certainly gone. Harrison Bader‘s bat took a big step back in 2019. Tyler O’Neill just hasn’t been consistently good in his MLB career yet, and Dexter Fowler has been a disappointment. In truth, the Cardinals need several outfielders.

We also know the Cardinals are unlikely to go for the top-flight players in free agency and their player development program is one of the games best. Their ability to get the most out of their prospects is nothing short of impressive.

The NL runners-up will certainly be looking for the pieces to put them over the top in 2020 and Haniger checks a lot of the boxes for St. Louis. The Cards have some interesting pieces for Seattle to consider, both on their current roster and in the minor leagues.

The Cardinals may not be able to match the prospect ranks of other contenders, but their willingness to get aggressive on the trade market makes them a threat for any team considering the addition of a young, cheap player.

3. Atlanta Braves

The funny thing about the NL East is that there are 3 teams whose interest in Haniger would make quite a bit of sense. The Braves, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies could all be interested in Haniger and all have the ammunition to make it happen.

But for the past year, perhaps no team has been a more obvious fit for the Mariners and Mitch Haniger than the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are contenders, have a deep and plentiful farm system, and young MLB talent in droves. Check.

They could use an upgrade in a corner outfield spot. Check. They are famously cautious on the free-agent market and prefer to make trades or draft and develop. Check. The Mariners are collecting young arms and the Braves have a plethora of arms with MLB upside and floor in their system. And we know the Braves are the one team to engage Seattle in Haniger talks last winter.

It all seems so easy. Everything is lining up for a deal. Except for the valuation being placed on Haniger. Based on what we know, the Braves want Haniger at the price of an average, everyday bat. They were unwilling to include any of their potential impact prospects in their package last winter.

The Mariners value Haniger as an All-Star player and one who can help set the culture of winning they are currently trying to establish. If neither of these valuations changes, a deal isn’t getting done. It is unlikely the Mariners will change their valuation that significantly, so the ball is in the Braves’ hands.

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Atlanta still has the need and pieces necessary to get a deal done that both sides can be happy with. But if they insist on trying to get Haniger for 60 cents on the dollar, he won’t spend any time with the Braves.

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The biggest tidbit of the Mariners off-season dropped yesterday when it was reported by Ken Rosenthal of “The Athletic” that Seattle has been asked about the availability of Mitch Haniger. Today, we present some options.

1. Cincinnati Reds

2. St. Louis Cardinals

3. Atlanta Braves

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