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The Athletics and Shea Langeliers may be parting ways at this year’s trade deadline, as the two sides haven’t come to terms on a new contract extension as the franchise has with some of its other young stars. Despite a strong start to the 2026 season, the A’s have fizzled out, losing 16 of their last 19 games to fall to 43–58. Realistically, their timeline for contending will truly open when the team makes its anticipated move to Las Vegas in ‘28.
Langeliers is already 28 years old, a few years older than the rest of the organization’s up-and-coming core, including Nick Kurtz (24), Jacob Wilson (23) and Tyler Soderstrom (24). The Athletics tried to negotiate a new deal for Langeliers during the offseason, but it doesn’t seem those talks lasted very long. There’s still time for a new contract to come to fruition, with Langeliers not due to hit unrestricted free agency until after the 2028 season. But with the A’s still a couple of years away from making a legitimate postseason push, offloading Langeliers at the trade deadline may be a wise decision.
The power-hitting catcher is the No. 1 ranked player on Sports Illustrated’s newest trade candidate rankings. He’s not an elite defensive backstop, rating poorly as a framer and a blocker, but he does boast an excellent arm behind the plate. Still, most of his value comes from his potent bat. Langeliers has hit 22-plus home runs in each of the last four seasons, already surpassing that mark with 23 homers in just 91 games in ‘26. He’s slashing .260/.330/.496 this season and made his first All-Star Game, starting and hitting third for the American League.
If Langeliers does end up becoming available before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, he should have a handful of suitors. We’re going to make some realistic trade packages from three teams that may consider a move for him, using the tools provided by Baseball Trade Values, with an emphasis on at least one elite pitching prospect for the pitching-needy A’s.
Tampa Bay Rays
What a trade would look like:
Rays receive: C Shea Langeliers
Athletics receive: RHP Brody Hopkins, C Caden Bonine, RHP Michael Forret
The Rays have a need at catcher, currently rolling with a tandem of Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia behind the plate. Neither has been a major contributor at the plate, and though the Rays have succeeded by mostly playing small ball, adding another right-handed power bat to the mix could be a seismic addition for Tampa Bay. As it stands, most of the production in the lineup comes from the trio of Yandy Díaz, Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda. Langeliers’s 23 home runs would be second on the Rays, behind only Caminero, and he’d get more opportunities to drive in runners playing for a team with the league’s second-highest batting average (.261) and fifth-highest on-base percentage (.334).
As for the return, the Rays would likely need to part ways with some key members of their farm system. The A’s are in the market for young starting pitchers who could be part of their rotation in a couple of years, so it would stand to reason that Brody Hopkins would be a headlining piece of the trade. Hopkins, 24, is Tampa’s highest-rated pitching prospect, currently at Triple A where he’s recorded 95 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings. Additionally, the Athletics could acquire their catcher of the future in Caden Bonine, the Rays’ No. 3 prospect. Across three minor-league levels this season, topping out at Double A, Bonine owns an impressive .356/.426/.530 slash line with 10 home runs and 69 RBIs in 79 games. The final piece of the deal would be Michael Forret, a 22-year-old right-hander who ranks as the Rays’ No. 9 prospect. Forret has struggled a bit at Triple A this season but had a 2.15 ERA in 10 starts at Double A prior to his promotion.
New York Yankees
What a trade would look like:
Yankees receive: C Shea Langeliers
Athletics receive: RHP Carlos Lagrange, OF Spencer Jones, LHP Henry Lalane
Another team looking to acquire a right-handed power hitter and a catcher is the Yankees. Previously linked with Hunter Goodman and Ryan Jeffers, Langeliers would be another appetizing option for New York to bolster its lineup and get some improved offensive production at the position. Langeliers’s offensive numbers speak for themselves, and he’d join a Yankees’ offense that, when at full strength, is arguably the best in MLB. Langeliers could split time between catcher and DH, enabling the Yankees to keep Austin Wells and his defensive prowess in the mix, while also fortifying their lineup in a big way.
For a trade to come to fruition, it would require the Yankees to part ways with some of their top prospects. Carlos Lagrange, the team’s No. 4 ranked prospect, would be an appealing headliner for the Athletics, who could certainly use a near-MLB-ready starting pitcher to add to their ranks. Lagrange, a hard-throwing right-hander, owns a 4.55 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings at Triple A this year. Outfielder Spencer Jones makes sense as an inclusion, too—he’s already made his MLB debut and has the upside to develop into a major power threat. Jones would clean up at the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park before the A’s move to Las Vegas. Additionally, Rounding out the deal is southpaw Henry Lalane. He’s a younger pitching prospect and is likely a few years away from reaching MLB, but he’d be an enticing piece for the A’s as they continue to build for the future.
Chicago White Sox
What a trade would look like:
White Sox receive: C Shea Langeliers
Athletics receive: LHP Hagen Smith, OF Tristan Peters
With the White Sox in contention to win the AL Central, adding Langeliers to the mix would be a big win-now move. Langeliers has a few years of control remaining on his contract, and the White Sox, who have MLB’s third-lowest payroll at present, wouldn’t find it too difficult to lock him down beyond that. The White Sox have had four catchers play at least 10 games, highlighted by former top prospects Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, but none of them have managed an OPS+ better than Teel’s 65. And with Teel just landing on the IL and expected to miss six to 12 weeks with a high ankle sprain, the White Sox may look to upgrade behind the plate by bringing Langeliers aboard.
For this deal to work, the Athletics would likely be seeking an established MLB player such as Tristan Peters, who himself made the All-Star team as a replacement for Langeliers’s injured teammate Nick Kurtz. Peters, 26, made headlines by hitting for the cycle against the A’s earlier this month and has posted a .802 OPS across 96 games. He’s an excellent defender in center field, making him a very intriguing piece for the Athletics if they were to deal Langeliers to Chicago. Additionally, this deal would see the A’s add the White Sox’ top pitching prospect in lefty Hagen Smith. The 22-year-old has 79 strikeouts in 53 innings at Triple A this season and isn’t far off from reaching MLB.
More MLB from Sports Illustrated
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- Three Realistic Trade Packages for Nationals Shortstop CJ Abrams
- On-Field Batting Practice Is Dead. Here’s How All-Star Sluggers Prepare to Hit.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Realistic Trade Packages for A’s All-Star Catcher Shea Langeliers.
