The trade window for the 2024 Season officially opened on Monday with RDBL Front Offices blowing the dust off their 40-man Rosters and engaging in discussions this week. With one deal in the books between the Honolulu Hammerheads and St. Joseph Jokers earlier in the week, activity is set to pick up quickly as teams prep for the 11th Annual Draft on Tuesday, March 26th at 11:00am.
Lake Merced Goutfish
The Goutfish are fresh off their second RDBL Championship in three seasons and annually rank among the league's most active off-season clubs. GM Ryan Atkinson is expected to have another strong contender in 2024, but is currently staring at a stable of pitchers that can't all fit in the Keeper Roster bus. While George Kirby (3R/$5) is unlikely to move, Kodai Senga (2/$12), Framber Valdez (2/$48), Blake Snell (3/$10), Dylan Cease (3R/$5) and Marcus Stroman (2/$5) could all be available, especially with Bobby Miller (Minors) and RDBL's top overall prospect Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Minors) waiting on the wings.
Alamo Short Stacks
At a glance, the Stacks are somewhat stuck in the middle of two timelines as they look to capitalize on Corbin Carroll's Rookie deal while being patient with a wave of elite-level prospects including Junior Caminero, Evan Carter, Marcelo Mayer, Colson Montgomery and Adael Amador. With six selections in the top 35 in the Reserve Draft and 16 prospects under contract, something has to give this off-season for GM Greg Shelley. It could mean a push back in planning for 2025 or an all-out effort to turn their current group of assets into a 2024 Title Contender.
Mission Viejo Maulers
While the Goutfish are overflowing with pitching options, the Mission Viejo Maulers are overflowing with talent at about every position. GM Chris Ferraro has made it clear they plan to build around co-aces Gerrit Cole (2/$70) and Luis Castillo (2/$50), a sign that some difficult decisions will need to be made to maintain cap space flexibility. That makes Alex Bregman (3/$36) a strong candidate to be moved along with Edwin Diaz (2/$12).
A squeeze in the pitching staff behind Cole and Castillo make Zach Eflin (2/$1), Jose Berrios (2FA/$5), Tarik Skubal (2/$1), Yusei Kikuchi (2D/$5) and David Bednar (3/$6) all candidates to be traded before Draft Day.
San Mateo Oppo Tacos
New Oppo Tacos GM Erik Nielsen has his hands full after the club's Farm System was depleted that season and their top four producers (Juan Soto, Marcus Semien, Will Smith and Chris Bassitt) are owed a combined $148 next season. Everything appears to be on the table for Nielsen before Draft Day, with Soto and Smith already actively being shopped while LHP Justin Steele (2D/$5) could be a name to watch that could bring back multiple assets to launch a quick rebuild in San Mateo.
Maltese Falcons
The Falcons might be the biggest name to watch before Draft Day as the club is loaded with big league ready prospects and three of the Top 10 selections on Draft Day alongside three more 2nd Rounders and a pair of 3rd Rounders. There is enough ammo to land any available player they want this off-season or continue to build from within and leverage their massive cap space flexibility in the 2024 Auction Draft while using the picks to vault their way to the top of the Farm System rankings.
Comments