This article is part of our Minor League Barometer series.
Did teams get enough for their star players at the trade deadline? It's impossible to evaluate deals that include prospects on the day they're made, but the general consensus appears to be that both the Athletics and the Rangers did not maximize their returns for Sonny Gray and Yu Darvish. The A's took risks on two injured players with upside (Dustin Fowler and James Kaprielian), along with a prospect who has seemingly lost his luster (Jorge Mateo). Meanwhile, the Rangers gave up the scorching Willie Calhoun, but Calhoun doesn't have a position in the field, and the Dodgers were able to keep top prospects Alex Verdugo and Walker Buehler. Similarly, the Yankees did not have to part with Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, Estevan Florial or even Justus Sheffield.
It looks as though the Yankees gave up more than the Dodgers on paper, but Gray is controllable through the 2019 season, while Darvish is a rental. Both teams are eyeing the 2017 World Series, but the Bronx Bombers have set themselves up for 2018 and 2019 as well. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have the best rotation in baseball once Clayton Kershaw returns and should be the clear favorite heading into the 2017 postseason.
Where does that leave the A's and Rangers? Oakland took the best offer on the table and is playing for 2019 and beyond. Meanwhile, Texas still hopes to re-sign Darvish in the offseason in a similar style that the
Did teams get enough for their star players at the trade deadline? It's impossible to evaluate deals that include prospects on the day they're made, but the general consensus appears to be that both the Athletics and the Rangers did not maximize their returns for Sonny Gray and Yu Darvish. The A's took risks on two injured players with upside (Dustin Fowler and James Kaprielian), along with a prospect who has seemingly lost his luster (Jorge Mateo). Meanwhile, the Rangers gave up the scorching Willie Calhoun, but Calhoun doesn't have a position in the field, and the Dodgers were able to keep top prospects Alex Verdugo and Walker Buehler. Similarly, the Yankees did not have to part with Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, Estevan Florial or even Justus Sheffield.
It looks as though the Yankees gave up more than the Dodgers on paper, but Gray is controllable through the 2019 season, while Darvish is a rental. Both teams are eyeing the 2017 World Series, but the Bronx Bombers have set themselves up for 2018 and 2019 as well. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have the best rotation in baseball once Clayton Kershaw returns and should be the clear favorite heading into the 2017 postseason.
Where does that leave the A's and Rangers? Oakland took the best offer on the table and is playing for 2019 and beyond. Meanwhile, Texas still hopes to re-sign Darvish in the offseason in a similar style that the Yankees pulled off with Aroldis Chapman last year. Could the A's have gotten more for Gray in the offseason? Maybe. Will the Rangers end up with Calhoun and Darvish back in the fold next season? Possibly. The point is that every team has a plan — only time will tell who got the better deal.
More prospect talk awaits in this week's edition of the Minor League Barometer.
UPGRADE
Dominic Smith, 1B, NYM – The inevitable departure of Lucas Duda finally opens up the path for Smith, who should see the big club shortly. The first baseman of the immediate future for the Mets is hitting a blistering .425 over his last 10 games for Triple-A Las Vegas. Smith's overall slash line isn't too shabby either, as the 22-year-old lefty is batting .343/.396/.539 through 105 games. He's already set a career high with 16 home runs this season, and while he is not projected to be a huge power hitter, the home runs should still come for the sweet-swinging Smith. With the Mets firmly out of contention, the time is now for Smith and shortstop Amed Rosario.
Joey Wentz, P, ATL – The Braves' farm system is stacked in terms of starting pitching, but Wentz is one of the lesser-known arms with significant upside. Wentz had absurd numbers in July, posting a minuscule 1.03 ERA and 44:10 K:BB in 35 innings. Overall, opposing batters are hitting just .215 against the teenaged-southpaw in 2017, as Wentz's blazing fastball and emerging off-speed pitches have been befuddling Low-A position players. Wentz would be among the top pitching prospects in just about any organization. In fact, due to his status behind the likes of Mike Soroka, Kolby Allard and Luiz Gohara on the depth chart, he could end up being trade bait in future seasons.
Nick Senzel, 3B, CIN – Senzel was excellent at High-A to begin the 2017 campaign, but he's been even better since a promotion to Double-A. In 24 games since being promoted, Senzel is batting .336/.393/.523. He already has as many home runs at this level as he did in almost triple the amount of games at High-A. Senzel hasn't hit below .305 at any level of full-season ball. His home run stroke should benefit from playing his home games at Great American Ball Park, and he is not completely devoid of speed either. He could make a splash for the Reds as early as next season.
Alec Hansen, P, CHW – The White Sox have been loading up their farm system via the trade over the last year or so, but Hansen is a homegrown talent who could pay dividends for Chicago as early as 2019. Hansen has 138 strikeouts in 108 innings between Low-A and High-A this season. Opposing batters are hitting a combined .209 against the 22-year-old righty. At 6-foot-7, Hansen will have to deal with the usual doubters regarding repeating his delivery and release point, though control has not really been an issue thus far for him during his brief time in the minors. Michael Kopech should get to the big leagues first, but Hansen may end up being just as viable of a starter down the line.
CHECK STATUS
Jack Flaherty, P, STL – Other hurlers with flashier stuff in the St. Louis organization like Alex Reyes, Luke Weaver and Sandy Alcantara have gotten more publicity than Flaherty, but the 21-year-old righty simply goes about his business and gets the job done. After dominating at Double-A to the tune of a 1.42 ERA in 10 starts to begin the 2017 campaign, Flaherty has been no less impressive since being bumped up to Triple-A. In nine starts for Triple-A Memphis, the 6-foot-4 righty has a 3.09 ERA and 49:15 K:BB. Over that span of 46.2 innings, the only issue for Flaherty has been the long ball, as he's surrendered seven dingers. Still, Flaherty allowed 13 home runs in his first 300+ innings in the minors, so the long ball should not end up being a long-term problem. Lance Lynn is a free agent and Adam Wainwright's career is winding down, so Flaherty could become a part of the big league rotation as early as next season.
Max Schrock, 2B, OAK – The Athletics have Franklin Barreto and just traded for Jorge Mateo from the Yankees as part of the Sonny Gray deal, so the middle infield positions may be blocked and/or stacked against the 5-foot-8 Schrock. That being said, the 22-year-old has never hit below .300 at any level since entering the minors as a 13th round pick in the 2015 draft. In 2017, Schrock is more than holding his own at Double-A, slashing .309/.369/.427. He has six home runs and just three stolen bases, though Schrock did club nine home runs and swipe 22 bags a season ago, showing that there may be more than a little power and speed in his arsenal. His size limits his upside, but he makes consistent contact, draws nearly as many walks as strikeouts, and is hitting .359 over his last 10 games. He's not Jose Altuve or Dustin Pedroia, but it would be foolish to write him off simply because of supposed physical limitations.
Sam Hilliard, OF, HOU – The toolsy Hilliard gets almost zero notoriety in the Houston system, but he has that intriguing combination of power and speed that the Astros like to draft and cultivate. While it must be noted that he's playing in the hitter-friendly confines of the California League, Hilliard has still posted an impressive 2017 campaign. He is batting .300/.359/.485 with 15 home runs and 27 stolen bases through 101 games at High-A Lancaster. Hilliard leads the league in RBI, is fourth in runs and third in stolen bases. The 6-foot-5, 225-lb lefty does need to work a bit on his plate discipline, though, as the 23-year-old has 115 strikeouts and just 37 walks at this level. Hilliard is a bit old for this level and the Astros do have a bevy of outfielders ahead of him in the system. Nevertheless, Houston as an organization does not seem to mind the strikeout, and as a result Hilliard's production should still be noted.
Yonny Chirinos, P, TB – Brent Honeywell gets the pub for Triple-A Durham, and rightly so. Meanwhile, Blake Snell and Jacob Faria are high upside arms that have finally made their way into the big-league rotation for the Rays. Still, Chirinos has been flying under the radar, and the 23-year-old righty seems to be getting stronger as the season goes on. Chirinos has allowed one earned run or fewer in six of his last seven starts at Triple-A. During that time period, a span of 46.1 innings, Chirinos has posted a 51:9 K:BB. He has lowered his ERA from 4.07 to 2.89. Of course, Honeywell has filthier strikeout stuff and is viewed as the real prize of the Tampa farm system, along with shortstop prospect Willy Adames. That doesn't mean Chirinos should be overlooked, though.
DOWNGRADE
Anderson Espinoza, P, SD – The Padres have a slew of promising arms at the lower levels of their farm system, but Espinoza was expected to have the most upside of any pitcher. That still may be the case, though San Diego may have to wait until 2019 to see Espinoza on the mound again. The 19-year-old hurler will undergo Tommy John surgery next week. He's missed the entire 2017 season already, and the procedure will likely sideline him for the 2018 campaign as well. For the short term at least, Espinoza's prospect star has significantly lost its luster.
Jorge Alfaro, C, PHI – Once considered among the top catching prospects in baseball, Alfaro's stock has taken a nosedive largely due to poor plate discipline at the higher levels. Alfaro has 108 strikeouts in 81 games at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He's drawn just 18 walks over that span. An inability to stay healthy has also hurt Alfaro. He's on pace to play in over 100 games this season, though not by much. If he does, that will be the first time since 2014. Add in a dip in power, it's fairly easy to see why Alfaro's prospect status has dimmed.
Nellie Rodriguez, 1B, CLE – The first baseman of the future for the Indians? That tag should currently belong to Bobby Bradley and not Rodriguez, though Bradley isn't exactly lighting the minors on fire with his play this season for Double-A Akron. Still, he's playing better than Rodriguez, as the 23-year-old righty is batting a putrid .157 in 88 games for Triple-A Columbus. Rodriguez has a staggering 134 strikeouts over that span with just 35 RBI. In addition, after clubbing at least 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons, it will take a Herculean effort down the stretch for Rodriguez to reach that mark in 2017. This could have been the year in which Rodriguez either played his way into the Indians' future plans or performed well enough to be dealt to a team with an opening at first. Instead, Rodriguez has seen his stock take a significant downturn.
Duane Underwood, Jr., P, CHC – The farm system for the Cubbies has thinned out considerably, and the remaining pitchers have not exactly had stellar 2017 campaigns either. Trevor Clifton has been subpar, Oscar De La Cruz is injured, and Underwood has been adequate at best. The 23-year-old righty has a 4.54 ERA and 74:41 K:BB in 101 innings at Double-A Tennessee. He continues to battle control problems, though his strikeouts are down as well. Underwood is inducing fewer ground balls than ever before, and he's on pace to set a career high in home runs allowed. The long championship drought for the Cubbies finally ended last year, but it remains to be seen if the lack of future pitching talent will doom their chances for this season and beyond.
