Rangers and Braves seem destined to make a trade, which ATL trade chips could catch Chris Young's eye

The Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves are like two awkward teenagers eyeing each other from across the gymnasium during the high school prom. They want to dance, but seem a bit uncertain about how to make it happen.

Both Corey Seager and Jacob deGrom have been bandied about as potential trade chips on the Rangers' end for a while, but who or what the Braves will offer in return is not quite as clear. Let's break down which player Chris Young is more likely to pull the trigger on and what the team should aim for in a potential deal.

These two Braves prospects would be ideal returns if the Rangers trade Corey Seager and/or Jacob deGrom

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has already shown interest in both players. Per Joel Sherman of MLB Network, they were rumored to have interest in Seager before the 2026 season, in need of an upgrade at shortstop. deGrom was almost traded at the deadline in early August but exercised his no-trade clause to quash a deal that could have landed the Rangers' former 20-game winner and All-Star Spencer Strider.

The Braves ended up going with the duo of Mauricio Dubon and Ha-Seong Kim this past season and are in the market for more production from the position. Dubon's slash line of .276/.321/.399 was serviceable, but his lack of power makes Seager look like a major upgrade, even with his injury history and poor 2026 season. Dubon is a two-time Gold Glove winner, but the costly error he made in the second inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers has left a sour taste in their mouths. Dubon is a free agent, so it would be easy for the Braves to cut ties with him.

The Rangers have both Sebastian Walcott and Ezequiel Duran ready to fill a Seager=sized void, so they could go after a position of need. We're aiming high and looking at 20-year-old OF Eric Hartman, the Braves' No. 1-ranked prospect, a sweet-swinging lefty who is coming off a 25-homer, 50-steal season in High-A ball. He is the crown jewel of their system by a mile. The negotiation should start right there. Hartman is MLB Pipeline's No. 38 overall prospect.

The problem with trying to wriggle free of Seager is the $155 million still owed to him through 2031. He also possesses a 10-5 no-trade clause and could douse the deal. How much of that albatross would Atlanta be willing to pick up in any deal for Seager? They have cut payroll the last several seasons and might be looking to make a splash this winter. Still, trading the 2023 World Series hero won't be easy.

With deGrom, you're also dealing with a no-trade clause he has already used once. Financially, he would be the easier of the two to move because he is only owed $37 million in 2027, with a club option for $20 million in 2028. That would be much more palatable for both parties. The Rangers could offer deGrom for the Braves' No.2 overall prospect Cam Caminiti, a 19-year-old left-handed starter who dominated his early pro debut assignments in Single-A ball. He is ranked No. 39 overall in the MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospect rankings, just one spot behind Hartman.

The more realistic deal in terms of value and economic viability is clearly a potential deGrom-for-Caminiti swap that would inject the Braves' rotation with a "win now" front-end splash starter and give the Rangers another big piece for the future as they seek to restructure the roster this winter with younger and more athletic players.

Chris Young would be wise to have Anthopoulos's number on speed dial and not let his calls go to voicemail. These two organizations need to meet at the punch bowl and share a dance before the moment passes.

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