Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report: Trade Deadline Deals Pt. I
Published: Jul 31, 2016
Monday will mark one of the most anticipated days of the Major League Baseball season. The non-waiver trade deadline looms large and we have already seen several deals take place that will shape the picture of the pennant race. While we can analyze all day about what Aroldis Chapman will do for the Cubs or Mark Melancon will do for the Nationals, what’s more important—at least for the sake of this article—is the prospects involved in each individual deal and what it means for their future.
MLB decided to push the trade deadline back one day to August 1 this year, mainly due to the fact that July 31 fell on a Sunday. Nevertheless, there have already been deals made and I will cover all trades made prior to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. I will post a special Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report on Monday or Tuesday reviewing the remainder of the deals made in the next 24 hours.
The Chicago Cubs acquired RHP Aroldis Chapman from the New York Yankees for SS Gleyber Torres, OF Billy McKinney, RHP Adam Warren, and OF Rashad Crawford
Without a doubt, Chapman was the absolute best reliever on the market and the Cubs paid a hefty price. Chicago is built to win and the Yankees demanded a handsome return and that is exactly what they received. The centerpiece of this deal was Gleyber Torres with Billy McKinney being the main secondary piece.
Torres was rated by Baseball America as the No. 41 prospect in all of baseball prior to the start of the 2016 season. He was signed out of Venezuela when he was 17 and has made rather big strides in just two years. Not only does he play a premier position (shortstop), but he also has a bat that projects to hit for average and power. Over 377 at-bats this year at High-A, Torres has nine home runs and 19 steals and has raised his walk rate from 8.4 percent in 2015 to 10.3 percent this year. The Yankees have a well-known shortstop prospect in Jorge Mateo, but it would seem as though they are creating a stockpile, which is never frowned upon. Torres could reach Double-A by the end of the 2016 season and should be a mainstay in the majors by mid-2018.
The Cubs felt as though McKinney was expendable and much of that decision was probably made due to his struggles this season. McKinney hasn’t adapted well to a full season of Double-A pitching. He’s slashing .252/.355/.322 on the season, but has only managed one home run and two steals. These numbers aren’t exactly what fantasy owners will be looking for in the future. The good news is that he’s only 21 and has shown the ability to hit for power in the past (11 HRs in 2014). He has a solid approach at the plate and above average on-base skills, but until he shows more in the power department, fantasy owners will be disappointed. A change of scenery could be exactly what he needs.
The Yankees also managed to snag a lower level prospect in Crawford. He’s moved slowly through the minor leagues as he’s been in the minors for five years with High-A as his highest level. Crawford has very little power—eight career homers—though he does have above average speed. He’s stolen 70 bases in five seasons, but he isn’t going to hit for average, thus limiting his chances to be a lead off man in the future.
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired OF Melvin Upton Jr. from the San Diego Padres for RHP Hansel Rodriguez
The fact that San Diego was able to turn Upton Jr. into anything of value is an amazing feat in and of itself. It was less than a year ago when it appeared as the man formerly known as “B.J.” was finished. Rodriguez has pitched as a starter during his three-year minor league career and has seen mixed results. His K/9 over three seasons stands at 7.1, but he has had issues with allowing free passes. His fastball sits in the low-90s, but has some movement and will likely improve in time. The jury is still out on his offspeed stuff, but he’s still a teenager and is at least two or three years from reaching the majors.
The Texas Rangers acquired RHP Lucas Harrell and LHP Dario Alvarez for 2B Travis Demeritte
This was an under the radar trade, but one that could be referenced down the line if Demeritte pans out in a meaningful way. Demeritte struggles with strikeouts and hitting for contact, but has exceptional power for a middle infielder. He hit 25 home runs in 2014 while playing at Single-A Hickory and already has 25 homers this year at High-A High Desert. His power and versatility in the infield will likely land him a spot on a major league roster in the future. The question is whether he can be a starter given the holes in his swing.
The San Francisco Giants acquired INF Eduardo Nunez from the Minnesota Twins for LHP Adalberto Mejia
This was a well-executed one-for-one deal that fit the needs of both clubs. The Twins acquired a left-hander that projects to be a middle of the rotation starter, while San Francisco got an above average utility man that has excelled in every way this season. Mejia will head to Triple-A Rochester for Minnesota and slide right into the team’s starting rotation. Mejia, 23, posted a 1.94 ERA with a solid 8.0 K/9 over 65 innings pitched at Double-A Richmond. He experienced growing pains during his time at Triple-A Sacramento, but that was mainly due to the fact that he gave up more hits. His strikeouts increased at Triple-A while his walks raised a miniscule amount from 2.2 BB/9 to 2.4. Minnesota is completely out of the playoff picture, so if Mejia performs well over the next month, he could receive a couple of starts with the big league club in September.
The Miami Marlins acquired RHP Andrew Cashner and RHP Colin Rea from the San Diego Padres for 1B Josh Naylor, RHP Carter Capps, RHP Jarred Cosart, and RHP Luis Castillo
This is a deal that saw several major league players switch teams, but the two prospects involved were Naylor and Castillo. Naylor is a first baseman with a bulk of power and it’s somewhat baffling that Miami would be willing to part with him, especially for two arms that are questionable at best. To date, Naylor has managed to keep his strikeouts in check (16.8 percent K rate in 2016) while also maintaining a solid .269 average. His BABIP stands at .304, so it’s not like his batting average is fake by any means. This was a very good get for San Diego and Naylor is now penciled in to be their first baseman of the future.
The other substantial piece that San Diego received was Castillo. The 23-year-old righty was pitching in High-A for Miami, but has a fastball that can touch 100 mph. Though he can through a legitimate heater, Castillo doesn’t have standout strikeout numbers. He has the stuff, but a straight fastball can only take you so far, no matter how fast you can throw it. His career minor league ERA is 2.71, so he’s found success, but it’s easy to wonder why he’s still in Single-A. San Diego is certainly high on Castillo and will give him every opportunity to succeed in hope that he can be a bullpen arm at the big league level within a year or two.
The Washington Nationals acquired RHP Mark Melancon from the Pittsburgh Pirates for LHP Felipe Rivero and LHP Taylor Hearn
The Nationals got their man and bolstered an already solid bullpen in a big way. Many scouts speak glowingly about Rivero, a left-hander with above average stuff. He could be a closer in the future. Hearn will begin his career with the Pirates organization at Single-A West Virginia. He was originally drafted by Pittsburgh in the 2012 MLB Amateur Draft, though he decided not to sign with the club. The 21-year-old lefty has pitched in both a starting and relief role, but appears to have a spot in West Virginia’s rotation. He has a K/9 of 12.3 this year, showing his ability to rack up strikeouts, but he has struggled with walks over two professional seasons. Rivero is the big piece of this deal, but with more polishing, Hearn could surprise.
The Cleveland Indians acquired LHP Andrew Miller from the New York Yankees for OF Clint Frazier, LHP Justus Sheffield, RHP Ben Heller, and RHP J.P. Feyereisen
It’s clear that the Indians are going all-in this year. Cleveland gave up two of their top prospects to acquire Miller in a deal that looks very good for the Yankees. Both the Cubs and Indians have replenished New York’s farm system this week and we could dividends being paid as soon as 2017. Frazier is on track to be an everyday outfielder in the major leagues and could contribute in all fantasy categories. In his prime, Frazier projects to have 25-home run power and be a .270 hitter. Once the Yankees get a couple of big contracts off the books, Frazier could be the poster child for their new wave of young talent.
Sheffield is no slouch either has moved relatively quickly through the Indians farm system. He’s averaged more than a strikeout per inning over his first three seasons and has done a very good job keeping the ball in the park. If everything goes as planned, he has the potential to be a solid number three starter for New York.
The final two names in the deal are Heller and Feyereisen and both could be part of future plans in New York. We could see Heller in the majors soon as he’s spent the majority of the year at Triple-A Columbus and posted a 2.49 ERA, while striking out a batter per inning. Feyereisen is another bullpen arm with serious strikeout ability. His highest level is Double-A, but he could reach Triple-A before the season is over. Both players will compete for a bullpen job with New York next spring.