MLB hot stove: OF market should begin heating up following Royals' signing of Alex Gordon

Alex Gordon signs four-year deal with Royals - Royals Review
This team-friendly deal could finally signal the start of free-agent and trade market outfielders moving around. Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes may be the first to go, but this also obviously affects the Colorado Rockies and their trio of outfielders -- Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson -- on the trading block.

At the very least, the Royals retaining Gordon takes away one potential trading partner. But look for activity surrounding the remaining free agents and trade chips -- particularly, the purple-clad ones -- to begin ramping up in the coming days and weeks.

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Nats have looked at the trade market for catchers. They are involved on a number of fronts.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 6, 2016

Though we haven't heard his name pop up in many rumors, could Rockies catcher Nick Hundley be attracting attention after a resurgent season at 20th and Blake? This situation is one worth keeping an eye on as we wind down to pitchers and catchers reporting in just over a month.

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Rockies' David Dahl dealt with injury in 2015 | rockies.com
Dahl dropped 15 pounds after having his spleen removed following a collision, and those were just a few of the many complications the Rockies' top outfield prospect had last season.

The good news is that the 2012 first-round pick is learning how to slow the game down, writes Thomas Harding, and that his skills and feel for the game alone should help him reach the promised land sooner rather than later. The other requirements are already there, as you'll read about Dahl later this month in our Top 30 PuRPs series.