Cleveland Indians: Five prospects to pursue in trades this offseason

Dylan Carlson, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

The first player on this list to have already made his major league debut, Dylan Carlson is currently the No. 14 prospect in all of baseball and the top prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals’ system. A first round pick in the 2016 draft, Carlson is another player that could fully transform the Cleveland Indians’ outfield.

During the 2020 season, Carlson saw action in 35 games for the Cardinals and didn’t quite meet expectations in his first trial run. He only slashed .200/.252/.364 with 16 RBI, three home runs and a stolen base. While those stats aren’t great, Carlson has performed better in the minors, which is why he could be a draw to the Indians.

Spending the 2019 season split between Double-A and Triple-A, Carlson looked much more like himself with a slash line of .292/.372/.542 with 26 home runs and 20 stolen bases. That line better illustrates Carlson’s ability to hit for average and power while also being able to steal bases.

Over his short blip in the majors, Carlson played all three outfield positions, spending the most time in center. If the Indians can manage to pry Carlson away from the Cardinals, he would provide a big boost the outfield.