Baltimore Orioles: 5 Potential Trade Targets for This Offseason

5. Michael Taylor – OF, Washington Nationals

Michael Taylorhas always had a lot of potential. He showed 20 home run, 50 stolen base skills in the minors, but generally, he’s had trouble translating that into the majors.

That all changed last year though, as he slashed .271/.320/.486 with 19 home runs, 55 runs, 53 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases through 118 games last year. So why would the Nationals trade him?

Well, there’s the argument to be made that he was really lucky (and it’s a fair argument). You could point to his .363 BABIP as a signifier, and you could point to his 31.7% strikeout rate (which is bad). All fair points to suggest that Taylor was the beneficiary of some good luck last year and is due for a regression.

Also, the Nationals have a crowded outfield. Along withAdam Eaton, whom they traded three great prospects for, they’ve gotBrian Goodwin,Rafael Bautista,Andrew Stevenson, andVictor Roblesall 27 years old or younger, so moving Taylor wouldn’t necessarily hurt them too much.

The Baltimore Orioles could use an outfielder, and they certainly could use some speed. While Taylor’s strikeouts are a concern, he’d still be a useful addition to the team, especially on the basepaths.

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