Oakland A's: Three potential trade targets at second base
By David Hill
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 22: Whit Merrifield #15 of the Kansas City Royals hits a double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium on July 22, 2020 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
Jonathan Villar
Right now, the Miami Marlins are the biggest surprise in baseball; an essentially AAA squad that has managed to hold their own thus far.
But that is not likely to last. When the season crumbles, the Marlins are likely to be sellers when the deadline comes at the end of August. And when that happens, Jonathan Villar would be an interesting trade target for the Oakland A's.
The speedster had resurrected his career with the Orioles in 2019, posting a .279/.339/.453 batting line in 714 plate appearances. Not only did he steal 40 bases, but Villar also hit a career best 24 homers. In a short sample size, Villar has not exactly continued that momentum, but he does have a homer and two steals thus far.
Villar also has some defensive versatility. He has primarily been used at short and second over his career, but also has experience at third and in the outfield. As a switch hitter, he would not need to be part of a platoon, as he has nearly identical batting lines against righties and lefties. This would free the A's up to shuffle their lineup more, working to get as much of an advantage as possible.
Jonathan Villar has had flashes of being a solid infielder over his career. If he can get his bat going again, and the Marlins slide out of contention, he could be an option for the Oakland A's.