A lot of the MLB trade deadline coverage I’ve seen has been comprehensive, or given the old college try at such, but I will do neither.
Instead, I will zero in on the things I’ve taken away for fantasy function. Even so, I will miss things and obscure the reality of a player’s potential at times for the sake of finishing a sentence. Baseball is so limitless it’s really all we prospect few ever really do: obscure reality’s unknowable potential so we can take our snapshots and hit our deadlines. In accepting and embracing this chaos, I hope to stay a step ahead of the competition, and I hope you’ll join me like two wild runners in Pamplona gambling with their blood.
Partly because Andrew Heaney is now a Yankee, Los Angeles LHP Reid Detmers debuts today! He’s good. Probably my favorite pitching prospect for a while in that fluid, real value v. perceived value lens.
Seattle 2B Abraham Toro may have just rammed his way into an everyday opportunity at the keystone on the coast. Nice pickup if seeking infield relief.
Houston OF Jake Meyers should be the Astros centerfielder now that Straw is sucking up those CF at bats in Cleveland. We’ve still got a Chas McKormick sized pothole to navigate. I’ve got a big daddy of McKormick’s vodka at the ready in case Meyers winds up on the outside looking in. He’s atop my priority list in a 15-team dynasty.
I added Miami OF Bryan De La Cruz in all my dynasty leagues at the last faab run. He’s been swinging at everything in the minors but still hitting .320+ with power. I suspect the Marlins will play him as long as he gives them any reason to do so.
Miami RHP Dylan Floro is my pick to inherit the closer role. It’s a little fishy to jump the gun, but I dropped a huge portion of my budget on him in a 15 where I lost saves from Yimi Garcia, Kendall Graveman and Richard Rodriguez this week. Tough stretch for Levy Pants, Inc.
Chicago 3B Patrick Wisdom’s cleverness will be tested covering both corners for the Cubbies. Cheap power and everyday at bats, huzzah!
All the action was bad news for Atlanta OF Drew Waters, who again finds himself buried by multiple veteran bats just as he was seeing some daylight. Organizations themselves tell us a lot about a player’s readiness, I think.
Arizona 3B Drew Ellis started Saturday and could wind up with the gig in Eduardo Escobar’s wake. Was having a solid season in AAA, refining his plate skills, which is really all you can take away from their AAA setting.
Miami OF Corey Bird has a chance at center since the Marlins didn’t find a replacement for Starling Marte. Was red hot in July: .365/.467/.542, 2 HR, 5 SB.
Chicago (NL) LHP Justin Steele has been building up innings in AAA and should come back soon with a rotation spot. I like him.
Chicago (NL) RHP Manuel Rodriguez finds himself with a late-inning opportunity as a rookie. Has been lights out all season, even in the futures game. Great add for the Saves needy in deep leagues.
Pittsburgh RHP David Bednar will likely share the closer role with RHP Chris Stratton from here on out. Both have the stuff to succeed.
Pittsburgh 2B Rodolfo Castro looks like an everyday player already. Hope you got in early. Or still can.
Pittsburgh SS Hoy Jun Park might be the same, or he might share chances with Castro. Either way, I’m into it.
Chicago (AL) 2B Jake Burger benefits from the Nick Madrigal trade and may have been a factor in it to begin with, if the Sox have liked what they see enough to go that extra mile and send Madrigal.
Cleveland RHP Peyton Battenfield escapes a sort of pitching prospect purgatory in Tampa, and I am excited to see where it goes from here. I think he could hang in the majors right now.
Don’t mean to shit on Tampa Bay 3B Austin Shenton, but I liked his chances of actually playing everyday better in Seattle, even if I like his chances of continuing to evolve as a hitter in Tampa.
Chicago (NL) OF Greg Deichmann breaks through the dam separating him from his first big league chance. I really like this addition for the Cubs and think he should be added in most leagues if he’s not owned already.
I erred in omitting Washington C Keibert Ruiz from my recent Top 100 Prospects update. I really didn’t think the Dodgers would trade him. Then again, I don’t think they would’ve unless the Nats suddenly saw a way to escape Max Scherzer’s deferred 105 million dollars to be paid out between 2022 and 2028. I still haven’t confirmed if that’s indeed what happened because it seems nobody’s really detailing it for whatever reason, but the initial story reported the Dodgers had taken on all remaining money, so . . . I guess they bought Trea Turner for two playoff runs. Anyway it’s kind of a bummer for Ruiz, who I imagine is still less likely than new acquisition Riley Adams or Tres Barrera to catch for Washington in 2021, simply because they’re probably now in clock-controlling mode.
But perhaps I’m wrong again on Ruiz because Washington 2B Luis Garcia looks like he’ll play every day in the nation’s capital, which means he’ll be working harder than anyone charged with running the country this summer.
Washington 3B Carter Kieboom is the sound America makes anytime anything happens. He’s also always been overrated but might not be so bad if given a real chance to thrive.
Washington RHP Josiah Gray is being promoted to pitch big league innings as well, so again, I’m probably wrong on Ruiz being held back all year. I like Gray’s pitch mix a lot and think he’s likely to earn the Nats a lot of WAR, which is often good for absolutely nothing on mediocre teams. Say it again, y’all.
Ah. Ugh. Okay I will. Washington RHP Tanner Rainey comes back from the IL just in time for some save chances.
But I’m a little more interested to see how Washington RHP Gabe Klobosits fairs in his first few innings up from AAA. He’s given up 2 ER all year in 36 innings. Okay, Gabe.
Texas RHP Drew Anderson will start some games after the departure of Kyle Gibson. He’s been solid in AAA this year (20.3 K-BB%, 1.19 WHIP), so he’s a decent track or add-and-bench type if you’re desperate.
Thanks for reading!
I’m @theprospectitch on Twitter.
