Detroit Tigers: Alex Presley is hitting his way into trade chip territory

Detroit Tigers outfielder Alex Presley is enjoying a fine season in his second stint in the Motor City—so much so that the veteran could conceivably be a trade chip come the offseason.

Detroit Tigers fans will likely see some change this offseason.

The team is already in the midst of a full-on rebuild.

Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton, Alex Avila, Justin Wilson and Cameron Maybin are among the players dealt since the end of the 2016 campaign.

More trades are certainly conceivable this offseason.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler and shortstop Jose Iglesias are two of the team’s better trade chips, alongside closer Shane Greene and setup man Alex Wilson.

This is all speculative mind you, but the pair of infielders seem more likely to be traded than the two relievers.

That being said, there’s another name that could be dealt for future prospects.

Again, this is all speculative, but Alex Presley’s production could make him an appealing trade targets for a team in search of a platoon outfielder or a key bench cog.

Offensive production

In 202 plate appearances this season (57 games), Presley is hitting .317 with a .359 on-base percentage, a .398 slugging percentage and a .756 OPS.

The veteran has also turned in a 103 wRC+ and a .330 wOBA.

Of course, this is in part due to a .392 BABIP, but Presley has been productive nonetheless.

The former eighth-round pick could help a team looking for an outfielder to complement a player who hits left-handed pitching.

In 179 plate appearances against right-handed hurlers this season, Presley is batting .321 with a .360 on-base percentage and a .772 OPS.

While he’s not much of a power threat (just one home run and a .081 ISO), the ex-Pirate can also provide value on the base paths as evidenced by a 0.5 BsR and four stolen bases.

He could be particularly useful in the National League, where he can still make an impact most games even if he isn’t starting.