Inside The Blue Jays

5 Prospects The Blue Jays Can Trade At The Deadline

Toronto's farm system isn't super deep, but there are a few names who can net a decent haul at the trade deadline.

Ethan Diamandas

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Barring a dramatic losing skid, the Blue Jays should be buyers at the Aug. 1 trade deadline. And while Toronto likely won’t be gunning for elite talent, there are moves to be made on the periphery.

The problem is the Jays don’t exactly have a wealth of desirable prospects to deal. The club will hang onto Rickey Tiedemann, Brandon Barriera, and (probably) Orelvis Martinez. You could make the case there aren’t many other youngsters in the organization that other teams would covet. Maybe that’s true. But for the right price, a deal can be struck.

Here are five Blue Jays prospects the team could trade to bolster the major-league roster.

RHP Sem Robberse – Double A

The Dutch right-hander's been solid for the Double-A Fisher Cats this season. The longball (1.6 HR/9) has been troubling, but he's otherwise been steady at limiting runs (4.54 ERA) and hits (7.2 H/9). At 21 years old, Robberse has plenty of room to grow, and he'll get a slice of the spotlight at this year's MLB Futures Game.

If the Jays believe his command-first style plays at the big-league level, then, by all means, keep him in the organization. If there are inklings of doubt, however, then Robberse might be the tastiest asset Toronto can offer at the deadline.

RHP Dahian Santos - High-A 

The 20-year-old has handled High-A Vancouver quite well this season (3.95 ERA in 11 starts) and is gradually being groomed for the upper minors. Santos is still quite skinny, but the stuff plays. He has a unique three-quarters delivery that adds some run to the fastball and boosts his best pitch, the sweeping slider.

There are MLB teams out there who will bet on Santos' upside — remember how the Dodgers poached Nick Frasso from the Jays' system a year ago? Toronto could definitely send Santos — in a package or by himself — to a rebuilding team for a bulk pitcher of some sort.

UTIL Davis Schneider - Triple-A

How sustainable is Schneider's offensive profile? That's the question we should all be asking. The 24-year-old is killing Triple-A pitching with 15 HRs and 42 RBI through 62 games. Frankly, Schneider should be up with the Jays right now. But since he's not, then Toronto ought to consider trading him.

Positional value is the big question here. Apt-hitting utility men with strong OBP skills are a dime a dozen, so perhaps there's an avenue where the Blue Jays sell high on Schneider, understanding his game lacks the flashiness to be an everyday contributor.

RHP Chad Dallas - Double-A

Dallas is pitching with tons of confidence at Double-A (3.27 ERA through six starts), so trading him would sting. He's still young at 23 years old, and with significant college experience at Tennessee, Dallas should reach the majors faster than Robberse, for example.

There's certainly a market for a more polished arm such as Dallas. Whether the Jays deal him remains to be seen, though if the Jays want to make an impact move, Dallas would net more than any other prospect on this list.

1B Rainer Nunez - Double-A

Nunez has been brutal (.501 OPS) since earning a promotion to Double-A, but his raw hit tools are still tantalizing. Despite his massive frame, he's not dependent on power — though he can let it rip — and does a good job using the whole field. The Dominican might not be a hero defensively, but his bat makes him an easy sell to opposing front offices.

Unfortunately for Nunez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. plays first base for the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays could dish the 22-year-old for help elsewhere on the diamond.

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Ethan Diamandas
ETHAN DIAMANDAS

Ethan Diamandas is a contributing writer who covers the Toronto Blue Jays for Sports Illustrated. He also writes for Yahoo Sports Canada and MLB.com. Follow Ethan on Twitter @EthanDiamandas

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