Who's next? Cardinals' likeliest trade candidates for another offseason deal

#2 - Prospects

I know, I know, this is cheating a bit. But instead of making a list of 15 different prospects who could be moved this offseason, I decided to lump them all together as the second most likely player(s) to be moved.

If the Cardinals want to swing a major deal for a starting pitcher, it would seem more likely than not that they'd want that package to center around their prospect capital, rather than trading their best young big leaguers. Even if they have to make a move that involves one of Gorman or Donovan, a prospect or two will likely be added to that deal to make it happen.

The level of prospects that could be dealt this offseason is a wide range as well. We could see top prospects like Tink Hence, Thomas Saggese, or Tekoah Roby on the move to acquire a top starter. The Cardinals would move on from pieces like Moises Gomez and Luken Baker who do not seem to have a role with the club long-term. There are so many different names who could be dealt and it all depends on if the Cardinals want to make another trade and what kind of move it is.

An interesting group to keep an eye on is the group of starting pitchers who are on the fringes of the big league roster or in Triple-A at the moment. That list is extensive and includes Matthew Liberatore, Zack Thompson, Drew Rom, Gordon Graceffo, Adam Kloffenstein, Sem Robberse, and Michael McGreevy. Having depth is something the Cardinals haven't had in the last few years, so they do not need to move these guys, but I really wouldn't be surprised to see one or two on the move.

If the Cardinals do not move prospects this offseason, I think it's very likely they do so at the trade deadline to improve this roster further. As things currently stand, this roster should be able to be in the Wild Card race and potentially win the NL Central depending on the moves other clubs make, but to become a true contender, they'll need to tap into that prospect capital to pull it off.