Giants have perfect top-100 prospect to use in trade for Justin Verlander's replacement

Giants have perfect top-100 prospect to use in trade for Justin Verlander's replacement originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Francisco Giants are one of many teams in the NL West in a difficult spot. With the Los Angeles Dodgers superteam, contending with them without spending a ton of money is difficult.

But one way to get around the lack of pull for free agent talent is to trade for someone. With a clear need in the starting rotation with Justin Verlander leaving, among other absences, the Giants are likely to be in the starting pitcher trade market.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, with this clear need in the rotation in mind, named the Giants' top trade chip to acquire such a player. The player Feinsand identified as the Giants' top trade candidate is the perfect one to land a new starting pitcher this winter.

Giants have the perfect trade candidate to land Justin Verlander's replacement

While the Giants won't want to move on from all of their top prospects, they do have an MLB Pipeline top-100 prospect who not only would draw interest, be viewed as valuable, but also not hurt the Giants' depth. That player is shortstop Josuar Gonzalez.

"Gonzalez is MLB Pipeline's No. 82 overall prospect in the Majors and No. 2 on the Giants' Top 30," Feinsand writes, "and while he's still only 18 years old, he's blocked at shortstop by Willy Adames for the next six years."

San Francisco signed Adames to a massive $182 million deal through the 2031 season, making any shortstop prospect, free agent, or trade target not a realistic addition for the Giants' MLB roster.

Thanks to Adames, the Giants don't have a clear spot for Gonzalez in the Majors. While they could wait and see if he can develop at another position, the Giants could also use him as a trade chip to land a new starting pitcher.

More: Giants predicted to trade for 3.42 ERA All-Star starting pitcher

Verlander is likely joining a new team, and the rotation, along with the bullpen, needs some help. Instead of only targeting free agents, trading for a pitcher makes a lot of sense.

Gonzalez is a ways away from the Majors, and the Giants would be better off trading him for help now instead of holding onto him and not getting an impact until years later.

What makes Gonzalez even more of a perfect trade candidate is that the Giants' fourth-ranked prospect is also a shortstop. Jhonny Level is 18 years old, like Gonzalez, and is an extra organizational depth piece at the shortstop position.

Adames is around for the foreseeable future, leaving the team's shortstop spot locked up through the 2030 season. Gonzalez, or even Level, would make great trade candidates this winter.

Either would be a useful trade piece to land a new starter or a reliever, which could help replace Verlander, Camilo Doval, or Tyler Rogers after their departures over the last few months.

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