For the 2026-2027 offseason, the trade market could end up yielding the most impactful moves. For this free-agent class, there are only two real shortstops that could make a difference for a team: Mauricio Dubon and J.P. Crawford.

With a weak free-agent market, that could turn attention to the trade market. Three shortstops to watch are CJ Abrams, Zach Neto, and Jeremy Peña. When healthy, all three players are a massive upgrade to a lineup looking to compete.

With a protracted lockout looming, some teams will need to act before December 1. There will be a transaction freeze concerning players on 40-man rosters once owners vote to lock out the players. That means no such trade can happen while the two sides negotiate the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Zach Neto Carries the Most Team Control

With three years of control remaining, Neto is the top shortstop on the open market. The Angels are undergoing an ownership change, so they could be headed for a potential rebuild. That could mean turning in their top trade chip to try to get a return that could set up their next contention window.

Neto should fetch a quality return on the open market. He has been a relatively consistent hitter throughout his career. He's put up 20-homer, 20-steal, 116 wRC+ seasons in each of the past three seasons.

That level of consistency makes him a safe projection for his three remaining years of control. Teams like the Red Sox, Phillies, or Braves come to mind as potential destinations in 2027. But his extended control also allows the Angels to assert more leverage on the market.

Jeremy Peña Would Be an "All-In" Move as a Rental

Peña is the type of move a team looking to gain an edge would make. Of the top three options on the market, he is the best player. However, he only has one year of control, so this would be an "all-in" move by the team who acquires him.

His market could be impacted by injuries, as he's only played in 239 games in the past two seasons. Medicals could be important. However, he's a 5.0-WAR shortstop when healthy and a World Series MVP. He's a 20-homer, 20-steal threat with strong shortstop defense.

The Astros are coming off an 81-win season in which they made the postseason in a historically-weak American League West. They were easily dispatched in the postseason by the White Sox. With Randy Flores taking over as general manager, along with a new manager, they could move a valuable player on an expiring deal.

This would be similar to what Houston did with Kyle Tucker. They traded Tucker with one year of control to the Cubs for Cam Smith, Isaac Paredes, and Hayden Wesneski. Those three were huge contributors to their AL West title in 2026.

The team that acquires Peña can also factor in the qualifying offer as part of the deal. If he's not dealt midseason, then he would be eligible to get one. But that's something for teams to consider once the new CBA gets hammered out and they have a clearer picture on compensation.

CJ Abrams Carries Major Upside and Risk

Abrams is an interesting test case for the market. He is the most impactful bat of the trio, slashing .261/.336/.497 with 33 home runs. Abrams was named a National League All-Star for the second consecutive season.

The Washington Nationals could try to sell high on Abrams. His defense at the shortstop position has been poor, with -9 Defensive Runs Saved and -63 Outs Above Average in 5426.1 innings. The poor defense hurts his value on the trade market, unless the acquiring team can improve his results.

Even with that in mind, teams would love to add a 30-homer, 30-steal bat for the top of their lineup. The question is what accommodations they'd have to make to get Abrams' offense. Unlike Peña, he's controllable through 2028, so he's more than a rental.