Hunter Goodman has turned himself into one of the most interesting names on the trade market, and the Rockies’ catcher is drawing that kind of attention for a reason. He’s been the best offensive catcher in baseball this season, putting up 31 home runs, 56 RBIs and 2.4 fWAR in 95 games while earning his second All-Star nod.
The Coors Field question is easy to raise, but Goodman’s numbers away from home make the answer pretty clear. In 47 road games, the 26-year-old has been even more dangerous, hammering 18 homers, driving in 33 runs and posting a .964 OPS.
At home, he has 13 home runs and an .815 OPS. Add in solid work behind the plate, and you’ve got a catcher who checks a lot of boxes for contenders.
That kind of player won’t come cheap. Goodman is under team control for three more seasons beyond 2026, so Colorado would need a serious prospect package to even think about moving him as the rebuild continues. Using Baseball Trade Values, here are three possible landing spots in the AL East.
The Yankees make obvious sense. Austin Wells has struggled at the plate, and New York’s catching group as a whole has not delivered much offense.
Wells, J.C. Escarra and Ali Sanchez have combined for just six home runs and 24 RBIs, and none of them has an OPS above .600.
Goodman would give the Yankees the right-handed power bat they need, along with dependable defense and years of control.
In this scenario, Colorado would get Elmer Rodriguez, New York’s top pitching prospect. The 22-year-old has made four MLB starts this season and carries a 4.76 ERA, plus a 3.03 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings at Triple A.
Jasson Dominguez would also head to the Rockies after getting squeezed out in a crowded Yankees outfield. The 23-year-old former top prospect could benefit from Coors Field.
The package would also include Ben Hess, the Yankees’ No. 5 prospect. Hess, 23, has a 4.46 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings at Double A.
Boston is another club that fits the profile. The Red Sox have gotten very little from their catchers, with Carlos Narváez, Connor Wong and Mickey Gaspar combining for just four home runs and 31 RBIs.
Goodman would be an immediate upgrade, and he’d arrive at a time when Boston has suddenly pushed itself back into the race after a 15-game winning streak came to an end. A month ago, the Red Sox looked like deadline sellers.
Now they’re in the mix.
For Colorado, the centerpiece would be Jake Bennett. The 25-year-old has been sharp in 10 MLB starts, posting a 2.58 ERA with 42 strikeouts and nine walks in 59 1/3 innings.
Kyson Witherspoon, Boston’s No. 4 prospect, would also be part of the deal. The 21-year-old likely won’t reach the majors until 2027 or 2028, but his fastball-cutter combination stands out.
The third piece would be shortstop Yoeilin Cespedes, the Red Sox’s No. 16 prospect. Cespedes, 20, has 17 homers and a .795 OPS in 76 games at High A this season.
Then there’s Tampa Bay, which has the best record in the American League and could still use more punch. The Rays’ lineup has not produced much power, and Goodman would solve that while also upgrading the catching spot over Hunter Feduccia and Nick Fortes. He’d give Tampa another bat and, just as importantly, help keep him away from division rivals trying to solve the same problem.
The Rays’ offer would center on Brody Hopkins, their No. 4 prospect. The 24-year-old right-hander has a 4.52 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings at Triple A and looks close to the majors.
Anderson Brito would be the other key piece. The 22-year-old has a 3.34 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings at High A and would add another young arm to Colorado’s system.
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