What happened: Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo assessed trade likelihood through a four-round draft before the July 31, 2025 deadline. Every selection came from a contender seeking short-term major-league help.

Why it matters: The exercise captured how contenders valued prospect depth before completed deals reset the market. Its predictions now provide a checkpoint on which roster blocks and deadline needs led to trades.

What to watch: The completed 2025 transaction log shows which projected moves materialized and which prospects stayed put.