Trade ideas if Diamondbacks pretend (1.0)
Diamondbacks receive: SP Cade Povich, SP Seth Johnson
Orioles receive: SP Merrill Kelly
On paper, the Diamondbacks look like they have a solid team going into the 23’ season. They have a new and improved lineup, a rotation that has a good 1-2 punch, and a bullpen that added some big free-agent names. But in reality, especially because Arizona plays in the NL West, this could be another losing season for the D-backs…
If Arizona goes through another losing season, it is time for GM Mike Hazen to start trading some veteran players that are owed a good chunk of money. Case #1, Merrill Kelly. Merrill Kelly is set to make $8,000,000 this year and next year. While that is not a ton of money by today’s standards, it would be nice to free up cap space for other players looking for extensions. Trading Kelly would also let one of the talented Diamondbacks pitching prospects take over the reins in the starting rotation. In Kelly, the Orioles would get a guy that a season ago, had a 3.37 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. In 2022, the Orioles shocked the world with their performance and if they continue to have success this year, adding a reliable veteran pitcher to their rotation might make them a sneaky contender in the AL…
As for the Diamondbacks, they receive two talented arms via the farm system. Baltimore probably has the best farm system in baseball, so this move doesn’t hurt them too much. Coming to Arizona would be Cade Povich (Orioles #13 ranked prospect) and Seth Johnson (Orioles #16 ranked prospect). In 26 minor league starts, Povich owns a 10-10 record with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He is known for having a good fastball and command of all of his pitches. As for Seth Johnson, he has dominated thus far in his minor league tenure. In 32 starts, Johnson owns a 2.81 ERA and he has struck out 172 batters in 137.2 innings. Johnson is known for having a lethal fastball that can touch 98 MPH. Losing Kelly would hurt no doubt, but in this trade idea, the Diamondbacks continue to build for the future, and add even more depth to their already talented farm system…
Diamondbacks receive: OF Everson Pereira, SP Clayton Beeter
Yankees receive: OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
This would be a tough one no doubt, but the Yankees desperately need a 3rd outfielder, and Arizona has a crowded outfield room…
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is a really good player that Diamondbacks fans should be excited to watch. In this trade idea, the Yankees would be getting an outfielder with pop. In the last two seasons, Gurriel Jr., has hit 60 doubles, 26 HRs, and 136 RBIs. He also posted a .343 OBP in 2022 which ranked him top 15 among all outfielders. This move would make sense as Gurriel Jr. is set to be a free agent after the 23’ season. An outfield of Judge, Stanton, and Gurriel Jr., yikes that would be scary…
Though Lourdes would be hard to give up, in this trade idea the Yankees get a little too greedy and overspend. The Diamondbacks get New York’s #6 and #15 ranked prospects. The #6 ranked prospect OF Everson Pereira can hit. In 102 games across high-A and AA last season, Pereria hit 14 HRs, 56 RBIs, and slashed .277/.350/.469 for an OPS of .819. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, he did that at the age of 21. The sky is the limit for Everson. As for Clayton Beeter, in 50 minor league starts he owns a 4.11 ERA, a .213 BAA and he has 207 strikeouts in 129.1 innings. He had the highest strikeout rate of any pitcher in minor-league baseball a season ago. If both of these prospects panned out in this hypothetical trade, Arizona would win the deal…
Diamondbacks receive: 3B J.D. Davis, IF Casey Schmitt, RP Jose Cruz
Giants receive: 1B Christian Walker, RP Carlos Vargas
Talk about a heartbreaker, if the Diamondbacks ever trade Walker there might be riots in the street…
If the Giants are looking to contend this season, they need an upgrade at 1B. Currently slotted to start at first is Lamonte Wade Jr. who in 2022, had a .664 OPS in 77 games. In Walker, the Giants are getting a much-needed boost in the power department. In 160 games last season, Christian hit 36 HRs, 94 RBIs, and finished the season with an .804 OPS. He is also fantastic at fielding his position as he had a 14 OAA last season which ranked first among all major-league first basemen. The trade makes sense for Arizona as he is set to be a free agent after the 2023 season. The second piece of the trade is relief pitcher Carlos Vargas. Vargas a season ago pitched 34.1 minor league innings and recorded a 3.67 ERA…
The Diamondbacks get a good haul in return for Walker and Vargas. Infielder J.D. Davis is a very interesting player. In 451 MLB games, Davis has a .350 OBP and a .439 slugging percentage, both above the MLB average. Last season, Davis was in the top 5 in hard-hit percentage (hits that are 95 MPH or more). He was 3rd only behind OF Aaron Judge and OF Yordan Alvarez. I know that hitting the ball hard doesn’t always translate to quality numbers, but if Davis is 3rd in all of baseball in that category, there is an enormous amount of potential in his bat. The other pieces of the trade are infielder Casey Schmitt, and relief pitcher Jose Cruz. Schmitt is the Giants #4 ranked prospect. In 126 minor league games a season ago, Schmitt hit 21 HRs, 78 RBIs, and recorded an OPS of .854. He is amazing at the plate and even better in the field as some scouts think he has the potential to win a gold glove one day. In Cruz (Giants #30 ranked prospect), the Diamondbacks get a relief pitcher with a lot of potential. In 52.1 innings at single-A last season, Cruz went 2-1 with a 2.06 ERA and a .119 BAA. He is only 22 and can already touch 98; the sky is the limit for Cruz. Losing Walker stinks, but these 3 players might become staples for Arizona in this hypothetical idea…