Who are the Marlins' most valuable trade pieces if they blow it up?

There's not much room for optimism in Miami these days as the Marlins continue to flounder.

Frustration stretches from the front office down through the roster as Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and president of baseball operations Michael Hill have all been outspoken over the last week about how bad this team - which sits dead last in the majors - has been.

The Marlins haven't made the playoffs since 2003. Their minor-league system is limited in terms of up-and-coming talent. The rebuilding Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are already miles ahead of them in the division, and Marlins Park is one of the worst-attended stadiums in the majors.

With new ownership on the horizon, there's expected to be plenty of changes coming for the Marlins over the next few months, and it would be in the franchise's best interests to chart a new course moving forward.

With that in mind, it's time to blow up the roster. Here's a look at who would be the most valuable trade pieces to go:

Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich

While the club would love to trade underperforming veterans Wei-Yin Chen, Edinson Volquez, and Dee Gordon, it's young stars in Marcell Ozuna and Yelich that would bring back the biggest returns. Yelich, 25, is owed $46.75 million over the next five seasons with a $15-million team option for 2022, while Ozuna, 26, has two more years of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent in 2020. If the Marlins don't feel they can be competitive in the next two-to-three years, it would be wise to try and deal one or both. Trading the pair could help the Marlins drastically repair their farm system.

Giancarlo Stanton

If the Marlins want to rebuild, it will be essential to get out from under Stanton's enormous contract. The 27-year-old slugger is signed through the 2027 season and is still owed more than $300 million. He has an opt-out following the 2020 season, but it's unlikely he'll do so as he'd be walking away from a guaranteed $218 million. Stanton is hitting .261/.332/.527 with 11 home runs through 43 games and would likely have several takers depending on how much money the Marlins would eat, or what type of bad shorter-term salary they'd be willing to accept in return. It would be hard for Miami to make any progress with Stanton's contract around.

J.T. Realmuto

J.T. Realmuto has emerged as one of the top catchers in the majors over the last two seasons, and is off to another strong start this year. The 26-year-old is hitting .307/.358/.436 with three home runs and five doubles while throwing out 11-of-30 potential base-stealers. Realmuto doesn't hit arbitration for the first time until next season, so there's a case to keep him while he's cheap, but like Ozuna and Yelich, is it worth it to hold onto a player for the next two seasons if the club isn't going to contend? Realmuto could net the Marlins a major return.

A.J. Ramos, David Phelps

The Marlins' bullpen continues to be a mess, but A.J. Ramos and David Phelps could land the club a valuable prospect in return. Ramos was an All-Star last season and owns a 2.67 ERA and 10.7 strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio over the last three years. Phelps has posted similar numbers, fashioning a 2.57 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 108 2/3 innings since the start of last season, and both players are under control through next year before hitting free agency. Free-agent signings Brad Ziegler and Junichi Tazawa have been disasters this season, and likely wouldn't net much return other than financial relief should they be dealt.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)