Marlins dangling underrated second baseman should have Tigers considering a trade

Although the MLB offseason doesn't officially begin until the day after the World Series ends, the rumor mill is already churning. The latest, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, is that the Marlins are open to listening on offers for shortstop Otto Lopez and second baseman Xavier Edwards. "If a team is willing to offer a lot in return, Miami would listen," Jackson wrote.

The Tigers aren't pressed for infield options, even with Gleyber Torres leaving in free agency. Colt Keith could take his more full-time role there back, Hao-Yu Lee is in the mix, Max Anderson is in the chamber. Kevin McGonigle, Javy Báez, or John Peck could all play there in a pinch, and then there's trusty utility man Zach McKinstry.

And Scott Harris isn't quick to give up to prospects. In fact, he hasn't traded anyone from Detroit's top-15 in his four-year tenure with the club. He's offered no indication that will change this offseason.

But the Tigers do have the prospect capital, and they have some redundancies in their system. Edwards is exactly the kind of athletic, disciplined, speedy, and most of all controllable position player the Tigers like.

Tigers would have to give up a lot for the Marlins' Xavier Edwards, but it could be worth it

The Tigers have remarkable catching depth, which could get sticky given that Dillon Dingler and Eduardo Valencia have the primary and backup positions locked up. Although the Tigers would probably be hesitant to give up top prospect Josue Briceño, who can play first base alongside Spencer Torkelson, Thayron Liranzo is further down the pipeline and is more expendable.

The key here would probably be Anderson, who is already going to struggle to find playing time in between all of Detroit's aforementioned, established middle infielders. Throw in a pitcher — maybe Keider Montero, who doesn't have a clear-cut role on next year's roster — and that could be a deal.

This is all predicated on the idea that Harris would want to make an exception for Edwards, which may be a flawed thought experiment from the start. Unlike the likes of the Brewers or Guardians, the Tigers don't sell high on their controllable players — they ride them until the end.

But we're seeing in real time how things can get crowded on the major league roster, and at some point, the Tigers aren't going to be able to fit all of them. Putting them toward a worthwhile trade should be a real consideration.

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