Rookie Report: Prospects Traded at the MLB Trade Deadline

July 31, 2021

A summary of all fantasy baseball prospects traded at the MLB trade deadline. Phil Goyette evaluates rising and falling fantasy baseball prospects and rookies.

Welcome to the latest edition of RotoBaller’s Recently Promoted Prospects series for fantasy baseball!

This week, I'm going to switch things up a little bit and look at every single prospect that was traded at the MLB Trade Deadline over the past week. And boy was it a crazy week of trades, with many MLB players and prospects switching teams.

There's a ton of info in here, and a lot of implications for both MLB teams and fantasy baseball purposes, so dig in and let me know your thoughts. Hope you enjoy!

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White Sox and Cubs

To: Chicago White Sox - Craig Kimbrel
To: Chicago Cubs - Nick Madrigal, Codi Heuer

Nick Madrigal

24-year-old second baseman was putting together a nice campaign for the White Sox before he suffered a hamstring injury that required season-ending surgery. Madrigal should provide a steady presence at 2B for the Cubs, with the ability to be a productive bat in the bottom-third of the batting order due to his extraordinary ability to make contact with everything he swings at.

Giants and Cubs

To: San Francisco Giants - Kris Bryant
To: Chicago Cubs - Alexander Canario, Caleb Kilian

Alexander Canario

21-year-old outfield prospect who has been well thought of during his time in the Giants organization. 2021 has been a bit of a struggle for Canario, who has turned in a rather pedestrian triple-slash line in Low-A this year. My estimated Barrel% metric still sees a hitter that can drive the ball for extra bases, and his speed numbers are great, so I’m still monitoring Canario in dynasty formats. Maybe a change of scenery to the Cubs org will allow him a full-fledged breakout in 2022.

Caleb Kilian

24-year-old right-handed starting pitcher who is having a complete breakout season between High-A and Double-A this year. Kilian has rated extremely well by both my Estimated ERA and Zone Dominance+ metrics this year, suggesting that he’s excelling at both pounding the strike zone and generating lots of swings and misses. The Cubs maybe picked up a future back-end rotation piece here.

White Sox and Cubs

To: Philadelphia Phillies - Ian Kennedy, Kyle Gibson, Hans Crouse
To: Texas Rangers - Spencer Howard, Kevin Gowdy, Josh Gessner

Hans Crouse

In a pretty strange move, this 22-year-old right handed starter was sent to Philadelphia. Crouse has performed very well at Double-A this season, bouncing back from injury and showing that he could be a potential MLB starter. He presents hitters with a tough crossfire delivery with plenty of deception. While his fastball has lost a couple ticks, his command of it might be better than ever. And he backs it up with a slider that can generate whiffs in the MLB. Finally, his mound presence is excellent, he attacks hitters and makes them uncomfortable.

Spencer Howard

The Rangers made 25-year-old righty Spencer Howard the centerpiece of this deal. Howard has struggled to hold his velocity deeper into outings, causing the Phillies to shift him into a multi-inning relief role in 2021. While he has the stuff to start, if he cannot hold his velocity more than a couple of innings then he’s definitely ticketed for the bullpen.

Kevin Gowdy

23-year-old right hander at High-A in 2021. Kevin Gowdy has had a solid season this year as the Phillies continued to try and stretch him out as a starter. His 3.54 FIP suggests a solid combination of control, strikeout stuff, and the ability to generate groundballs. He should get promoted to Double-A relatively soon.

Josh Gessner

21-year-old righthander who has only pitched for the Phillies Florida Complex League team in 2021. Gessner’s peripheral stats have looked good, but this guy is a lotto ticket who is well behind the development level that you’d want to see him performing at at this point in his career.

Braves and Pirates

To: Atlanta Braves - Richard Rodriguez
To: Pittsburgh Pirates - Bryse Wilson, Ricky DeVito

Bryse Wilson

23-year-old righty who has spent time in the MLB in each season since 2018. He’s got a five-pitch mix but lacks a secondary offering that can consistently put away hitters. His four-seam fastball is actually his best swing-and-miss pitch, but with a velocity that sits around 93 mph I don’t think he cuts it as more than an innings-eater or swingman in the MLB.

Ricky DeVito

22-year-old High-A righty. DeVito has only made five starts in 2021, but he’s looked awfully good when he’s taken the bump, posting a pretty stellar 22.0% K-BB ratio. He’s reworked his delivery since college, taking advantage of his natural athleticism. His breaker has a good tight shape, and he’s added a splitter to his arsenal as well.

Mets and Cubs

To: New York Mets - Javier Baez, Trevor Williams
To: Chicago Cubs - Pete Crow-Armstrong

Pete Crow-Armstrong

The Cubs were able to add 1st round pick to their farm system by snagging 19-year-old outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. PCA is on the shelf for the remainder of the 2021 season after undergoing shoulder surgery early in the year. He has the chops to be a plus defender in centerfield, and he has the speed to impact the game on the basepaths. His swing is short, direct, and contact oriented, and he has the ability to spray line drives all over the park. Look for him to add some power to his game as he matures. If that happens, we are talking about a left-handed hitting 5-tool centerfielder.

Cardinals and Nationals

To: St. Louis Cardinals - Jon Lester
To: Washington Nationals - Lane Thomas

Lane Thomas

Blessed with a name fitting of a furniture warehouse or plus-sized women’s clothing boutique, Lane Thomas is a 25-year-old outfielder who never quite caught on with the Cardinals. That being said, he showed flashes of future MLB potential throughout his professional career, so keep an eye on him in the event that the Nationals decide to give him some regular playing time.

Yankees and Angels

To: New York Yankees - Andrew Heaney
To: Los Angeles Angels - Janson Junk, Elvis Peguero

Janson Junk

25-year-old RHP who has broken out in Double-A this season. While Junk’s surface level production looks fantastic (1.78 ERA), double-checking the peripherals make him look more like, well, a peripheral prospect. Which is maybe all that you can expect back for sending Andrew Heaney to the AL East.

Elvis Peguero

Big 25-year-old RHP in Double-A. Elvis Peguero is a relief prospect who has looked fantastic in Double-A this year.

Braves and Royals

To: Atlanta Braves - Jorge Soler
To: Kansas City Royals - Kasey Kalich

Kasey Kalich

23-year-old righty at High-A this season. Kalich is a former collegiate closer that is a potential future bullpen piece for the Royals. His control has looked too sketchy so far in his professional career for high-leverage work.

Padres and Cubs

To: San Diego Padres - Jake Marisnick
To: Chicago Cubs - Anderson Espinoza

Anderson Espinoza

Once one of the game’s most highly touted pitching prospects, Anderson Espinoza has already dealt with more injuries than any young professional athlete should have to deal with. Rooting hard for him to continue on his journey and make something happen in the Cubs system.

Giants and Angels

To: San Francisco Giants - Tony Watson
To: Los Angeles Angels - Sam Selman, Jose Marte, Ivan Armstrong

Jose Marte

25-year-old RHP in Double-A. Jose Marte has been converted to a reliever in the Giants system, where his stuff has really played up. I can see him becoming a future bullpen piece.

Ivan Armstrong

21-year-old RHP at Low-A. The Giants have converted this big (6’5”, 250) righty to bullpen work full-time. He’s been very good in that role so far this year, but he’s a long way off from MLB relevance.

Athletics and Nationals

To: Oakland Athletics - Yan Gomes, Josh Harrison
To: Washington Nationals - Drew Millas, Richard Guasch, Seth Shuman

Drew Millas

23-year-old switch hitting catcher at High-A. Millas is a strong defender that has a good enough offensive game to make him a potential MLB factor one day. Keep an eye on him as he should be promoted to Double-A soon.

Richard Guasch

23-year-old RHP at High-A. Guasch is a tall righty who has struggled to perform as a starter this year. A move to the bullpen might help unlock his potential in the future.

Seth Shuman

23-year-old righty at High-A. Shuman has been excellent in a starting role this year, putting up a 20.8% K-BB ratio in 13 appearances (11 starts). I like his quiet, well-balanced delivery. The Athletics were also high on his makeup during his time there.

Rays and Cleveland

To: Tampa Bay Rays - Jordan Luplow, DJ Johnson
To: Cleveland Guardians - Peyton Battenfield

Peyton Battenfield

24-year-old righty who has pitched extremely well at both High-A and Double-A for the Rays this year. Battenfield has been a frequently featured arm in my Outsiders pieces this season, due to his ability to limit walks, miss bats, and generate groundballs. Looks like an innings eater with a fastball that sits in the low-90s, but Cleveland has had plenty of success with this type of profile.

Brewers and Tigers

To: Milwaukee Brewers - Daniel Norris
To: Detroit Tigers - Reese Olson

Reese Olson

22-year-old right-handed pitcher in High-A. Olson is a good return for Norris, as there’s an outside chance that he can develop into a starting pitcher. His mechanics are pretty jerky, so there’s probably any opportunity to clean up his motion to the plate and add both velocity and control.

Braves and Marlins

To: Atlanta Braves - Adam Duvall
To: Miami Marlins - Alex Jackson

Alex Jackson

Alex Jackson has long been a bat first catcher profile that many observers thought would be able to hit at the MLB level. He’s seen some MLB time in each of the last three seasons. His power has taken a jump at Triple-A this year, so keep your eyes out in the event he gets called up.

Blue Jays and Twins

To: Toronto Blue Jays - Jose Berrios
To: Minnesota Twins - Simeon Woods-Richardson, Austin Martin

Simeon Woods-Richardson

20-year-old RHP holding his own in Double-A this season. He was originally drafted by the Mets. SWR’s surface stats are rough (5.76 ERA), but the K% (33.2%), K-BB% (20.3%), and FIP (3.76) all suggest he’s doing at least two runs better than his actual line. He looks like a starting pitcher given his four-pitch mix and his ability to dominate in the strike zone. Minnesota gets another potential future rotation piece.

Austin Martin

22-year-old who has split time between shortstop and centerfield at Double-A this year. Martin was a highly touted collegiate bat out of Vanderbilt that the Blue Jays selected with the 5th overall pick. He’s a versatile player that would fit at the top of a big league order with his ability to make contact and get on base. I still have concerns about his future ability to hit for power which he hasn’t answered this season with a 5.4% estimated barrel rate.

Dodgers and Nationals

To: Los Angeles Dodgers - Max Scherzer, Trea Turner
To: Washington Nationals - Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Gerardo Carillo, Donovan Casey

Keibert Ruiz

23-year-old switch-hitting backstop who has performed really well at Triple-A this year. MLB ready now, obviously fills a hole in a depleted Nationals system. 2021 power surge at Triple-A bears monitoring.

Josiah Gray

23-year-old RHP who was recently called-up for his MLB debut. Gray is a converted shortstop from a small northeastern school (Le Moyne). Great delivery and composure on the mound, he should become a MLB starting pitcher. Pounds the zone, attacks hitters. Used to be a sinker guy chucking bowling balls. Now, fastball has evolved to four-seamer that he works up in the zone, backed up with two shapes of breakers that can both generate whiffs.

Gerardo Carillo

22-year-old at Double-A this season. 2018 was a breakout year for Carillo, but he’s taken a step back in his strike-throwing while moving up the minor league ladder. He’s got a big fastball and is an immediate bump to the Nationals pitching depth.

Donovan Casey

25-year-old catcher at Double-A. Org depth type of guy. Has flashed some above-average pop throughout his minor league career, generally posting double digit estimated barrel rates.

Blue Jays and Nationals

To: Toronto Blue Jays - Brad Hand
To: Washington Nationals - Riley Adams

Riley Adams

25-year-old catcher who saw some MLB time this season with Toronto. Adams didn’t quite fit into the organizational depth picture for the Blue Jays, as they are jammed with catchers in his age range. There’s plenty of swing-and-miss here, but Adams can draw walks and has good power on contact, making him a potential above-average offensive option. Defensively he’s likely below-average.

Padres and Nationals

To: San Diego Padres - Daniel Hudson
To: Washington Nationals - Mason Thompson, Jordy Barley

Mason Thompson

23-year-old right-hander who made four appearances for the Padres this season. Big (6’7”) texas prep righty. Turbo sinker up to 98 mph. San Diego converted him to relief this year, there’s probably still the chance that he could work in a starter’s role. But I think his mostly likely outcome is a bullpen arm. There’s a good chance he could handle high-leverage work.

Jordy Barley

21-year-old shortstop who has been playing in Low-A. Dominican IFA signee in 2019. Kind of an unheralded prospect, but he’s improved his plate approach a bit this year to draw more walks. Good build, good strength. Swing gets long, he might continue to have swing and miss issues until he’s able to change that.

Red Sox and Nationals

To: Boston Red Sox - Kyle Schwarber
To: Washington Nationals - Aldo Ramirez

Aldo Ramirez

20-year-old RHP in Low-A ball. Signed with Boston as a free agent out of the Mexican League in 2018. Was good in 2019, and is having a very good season in 2021 (3.04 FIP). Has been doing everything you want to see a starting pitcher do. Striking guys out (24.6% K-rate), limiting walks (6.2% BB-rate) and getting groundballs (52.3% GB-rate). And it looks like he can hold up as a starter too. Good pitching depth addition for the Nats.

Mariners and Rays

To: Seattle Mariners - Diego Castillo
To: Tampa Bay Rays - JT Chargois, Austin Shenton

Austin Shenton

23-year-old corner infielder that had recently been promoted to Double-A. 5th round selection by the Mariners out of Florida International in the 2019 draft. Shenton tore up High-A this season and the xwOBA estimator loved him (.373 xwOBA estimate pushed by a 11.4% estimated barrel rate). He’s also a left-handed bat with good positional versatility. I bet the Rays will make this one work for them.

Yankees and Cubs

To: New York Yankees - Anthony Rizzo
To: Chicago Cubs - Kevin Alcantara, Alexander Vizcaino

Kevin Alcantara

19-year-old centerfielder at the Yankees Florida complex. Alcantara is a lanky international signing out of the Dominican with loads of athletic potential. There’s a potential power/speed beast here with the ability to cover centerfield at the highest level. He’s really impressed with his ability to work counts and draw walks in the complex league this season. A promising hitting prospect with his arrow pointing up.

Alexander Vizcaino

24-year-old RHP in High-A ball. Has missed a good chunk of the 2021 season with an arm issue. 2019 season was an excellent year of skills consolidation for him, posting a 3.49 FIP across 21 starts. He’s a two-seam and changeup guy right now, but he should be an interesting fit for the Cubs current pitch design philosophy. The org will likely look to refine a second fastball and breaking ball offering with Vizcaino.

White Sox and Cubs

To: Chicago White Sox - Ryan Tepera
To: Chicago Cubs - Bailey Horn

Bailey Horn

23-year-old LHP who was promoted from Low-A to High-A this summer. Horn was the White Sox 5th and final pick out of Auburn in the shortened 2020 draft. His strikeout stuff has been solid all year, but his control really took a step back upon his promotion to High-A. Backend rotation piece vs. reliever outcomes are probably a 50/50 proposition for Horn at this point.

White Sox and Cleveland

To: Chicago White Sox - Cesar Hernandez
To: Cleveland Guardians - Konnor Pilkington

Konnor Pilkington

23-year-old LHP who has made 14 starts in Double-A this year. Pilkington is having his best professional season, but it’s been driven by an unsustainable .209 BABIP. That BABIP is also covering a pretty big wart in his game, which is a HR/9 rate that has ballooned to 1.31. Pilkington just doesn’t have the type of stuff to cover those mistakes. He needs to be an innings-eating backend rotation piece that is really stingy with the walks and homers.

Yankees and Rangers

To: New York Yankees - Joey Gallo, Joely Rodriguez
To: Texas Rangers - Ezequiel Duran, Josh Smith, Trevor Hauver, Glenn Otto

Ezequiel Duran

22-year-old second base prospect in High-A. Duran was probably capable of handling the jump to Double-A this season, but rumors are the club held him back to boost his trade value. Duran has looked pretty strong by my estimated xwOBA and Barrel% metrics throughout his career. He’s also snagged double-digit bases in each of the last two minor league seasons. Second-base only will probably limit his profile somewhat, but there’s some fantasy goodness in this package.

Josh Smith

23-year-old shortstop recently promoted to High-A. Those of you who follow my Outsiders pieces will be very familiar with Josh Smith, who has been lighting up my metric-based leaderboards all year. Also important for Smith is that he’s shown he’s a good enough athlete to handle everyday shortstop duties while still being productive with the bat. Great speed and plate approach are icing on the cake.

Trevor Hauver

22-year-old second baseman getting his first taste of full season ball in Low-A this year. Hauver was the Yankees third round selection out of Arizona State in the 2020 MLB draft. He came out of the gate scorching hot to start the season. It’s a great power plus patience profile that I’m usually happy to speculate on. Just be aware that his current .393 BABIP is propping up the surface line stats. Might need to pick up some positional versatility either at third base or an outfield corner to become a viable big leaguer.

Glenn Otto

25-year-old RHP who was recently promoted to Triple-A. Otto has looked like a K-BB% god in 2021. He’s really a two-pitch guy, but his high four-seamer eats at the top of the zone and generates whiffs. It tunnels well with a slider that has become a potential big league pitch this year. Will work out of the pen if he can’t handle a starting role.

Brewers and Diamondbacks

To: Milwaukee Brewers - Eduardo Escobar
To: Arizona Diamondbacks - Cooper Hummel, Alberto Ciprian

Cooper Hummel

26-year-old catcher/first-baseman at Triple-A this year. Hummel is a “Bull Durham” type stab for the Diamondbacks, who seemingly always have an endless supply of these old for level corner bats. Hummel has displayed an elite BB:K ratio at Triple-A this season to go with some good power on contact. This is driving his excellent .422 estimated xwOBA at the level. He could be one to monitor if he gets MLB playing time.

Astros and Marlins

To: Houston Astros: Yimi Garcia
To: Miami Marlins - Bryan De La Cruz, Austin Pruitt

Bryan De La Cruz

24-year-old outfielder that Miami called-up to the big club upon acquiring. De La Cruz had been stuck at Triple-A in the Astros system, so this trade to Miami is a good thing for his potential fantasy value. De La Cruz can do a little bit of everything well, and has been touted as a high-makeup guy by those that worked with him in the Astros system.

Astros and Mariners

To: Houston Astros - Kendall Graveman, Rafael Montero
To: Seattle Mariners - Abraham Toro, Joe Smith

Abraham Toro

24-year-old third baseman that has spent time in the MLB in each of the last three seasons. Toro is one of those prospects where both the scouty and staty types both felt he was going to be a future MLB contributor. Seattle has shifted him over to second base to get him into the lineup on an everyday basis. With regular at-bats, there is likely some fantasy value here.

Athletics and Mariners

To: Oakland Athletics - Starling Marte
To: Miami Marlins - Jesus Luzardo

Jesus Luzardo

No longer a prospect, Luzardo is still a young pitcher that a lot of us prospect heads hold dearly. He’s had a rough 2021 season, and has backed off using the change up almost completely this year. It’s an opportunity for the Marlins to work on that pitch design with him, and the Marlins have been quite successful developing changeups with their arms in recent years. In the event that doesn’t work, Luzardo could also be a lights out closer.

Reds and Rockies

To: Cincinnati Reds - Mychal Givens
To: Colorado Rockies - Case Williams, Noah Davis

Case Williams

19-year-old RHP in Low-A this season. The Rockies actually selected this local Colorado prep pitcher in the 2020 draft. But then, they sent him to Cincinnati along with Jeff Hoffman in the fall of 2020. Now the Rockies have re-acquired Williams. He’s struggled mightily in his first taste of professional ball in 2021.

Noah Davis

24-year-old RHP in High-A. Davis was selected by the Reds in the 2018 MLB draft. He’s worked as a starter throughout his professional career, and his stuff has seemed to take a bit of a jump this season with his K% improving to 27.6%. He’s also about two years old for the level of competition he’s facing, and his fastball is unlikely to be MLB-caliber.

Mariners and Pirates

To: Seattle Mariners - Tyler Anderson
To: Pittsburgh Pirates - Carter Bins, Joaquin Tejada

Carter Bins

22-year-old catcher who was promoted from High-A to Double-A this season. Bins anchored an excellent Everett AquaSox team in High-A this season. He was persistently lighting up my statistical leaderboards before his promotion to Double-A, where he continued to perform extremely well. If my estimators know anything, Bins has the potential to be an MLB regular at a premium defensive position.

Joaquin Tejada

18-year-old righty from the Mariners Dominican Summer League squad. Tejada is extremely young and a long way off from professional relevance. He looks like he’s filled out from his listed height and weight, and he throws hard.

Athletics and Cubs

To: Oakland Athletics - Andrew Chafin
To: Chicago Cubs - Greg Deichmann, Daniel Placencia

Greg Deichmann

26-year-old outfielder at Triple-A. Deichmann has a fantastic blend of power, speed, and patience that should encourage fantasy owners to take a second look at him. Hopefully this trade to a rebuilding Cubs team gives Deichmann the opportunity to secure regular MLB playing time.

Daniel Placencia

21-year-old RHP at Low-A. His ERA, FIP, and xFIP through six starts in 2021 are all north of 6.00. He can be safely ignored for now.

Yankees and Pirates

To: New York Yankees - Clay Holmes
To: Pittsburgh Pirates - Hoy Park

Hoy Park

25-year-old utility man at Triple-A in 2021. Hoy Park has spent time at 2B, SS, and CF so far in the Yankees system in 2021. That positional versatility should make him an attractive candidate for a call-up to fill any voids in a rebuilding Pirates lineup. Park has also opened my eyes this season by adding more power to an already elite plate approach. A 13.0% estimated barrel rate at Triple-A this season points to his potential if he can continue hitting for some power when he gets promoted to Pittsburgh.

Padres and Pirates

To: San Diego Padres - Adam Frazier
To: Pittsburgh Pirates - Tucupita Marcano, Jack Suwinski, Michell Miliano

Tucupita Marcano

21-year-old utility man who saw some time with the big club in San Diego this year. Marcano has always looked like a potential MLB contributor with his ability to handle multiple defensive positions, make consistent contact, and provide a dash of speed to the game. But, he also has flashed the beginnings of some power development in his time at Triple-A this year (8.5% estimated barrel rate). He’s still real young, so if that power blossoms he’s no longer a utility man, but rather an everyday MLB player.

Jack Suwinski

23-year-old outfielder at Double-A. Jack Suwinski has been a breakout player in 2021, posting a .414 wOBA with 15 home runs and 7 stolen bases in 66 games for the San Antonio Missions. Suwinski is a prep product out of Chicago’s Taft High School that took some time to develop. But he’s a well-rounded bat that could eventually fill a corner outfield position for the Pirates as soon as 2022.

Michell Miliano

21-year-old RHP at High-A. He’s a really wild reliever with an intriguing arm. If he can harness the control a bit, he could be a future bullpen piece for the Pirates.

Mets and Rays

To: New York Mets - Rich Hill
To: Tampa Bay Rays - Matt Dyer, Tommy Hunter

Matt Dyer

23-year-old catcher in Low-A. Matt Dyer was the Mets 4th round pick in the 2020 draft. I was intrigued by Dyer during his time at the University of Arizona due to his really unique profile. He’s a tall (6’4”), athletic catcher who has shown an ability to get on base, steal bases, and hit for a sprinkling of power. I’m now intrigued by the fact that the Rays were interested in trading for him.

Rays and Twins

To: Tampa Bay Rays - Nelson Cruz
To: Minnesota Twins - Joe Ryan, Drew Strotman

Joe Ryan

25-year-old right-hander at Triple-A. 41-year-old Nellie Cruz commanded a future starting pitching prospect in a trade deadline rental trade. Joe Ryan is currently Team USA’s top starting pitcher in the Olympics. While his stuff won’t dominate hitters, he’s shown the pitchability to consistently produce excellent K-BB% ratios throughout his professional career. He’s going to be in the hunt for a rotation spot with the Twins next spring.

Drew Strotman

24-year-old RHP in Triple-A. Strotman has the makeup of a righty with good pitchability that could work in a back-end rotation or swingman type role. He’s added a cutter/slider hybrid to his arsenal that should allow him to challenge MLB hitters, whether that’s from the rotation or out of the bullpen.

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