Raul Mondesi is the Royals’ “most appealing asset for trade discussions,” rival evaluators tell Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star, though “the Royals have little interest in parting with him.” Mondesi was a consensus top-40 prospect in preseason rankings from Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB.com, with BA listing him 28th before the year began and updating his status to 25th in their recent midseason rankings. Despite a less-than-stellar showing at Double-A this season, the 19-year-old Mondesi has been discussed as a possible September call-up. Here’s some more from around the AL Central…
- Before Nick Swisher went on the DL, the Indians and Braves discussed a trade that would’ve sent Swisher to Atlanta in exchange for Chris Johnson, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter links). The Braves ended talks since Swisher is owed significantly more than Johnson (approximately $6.25MM to $2.5MM) over the remainder of the 2015 campaign. Johnson is guaranteed $17.5MM over the 2016-17 seasons while Swisher is owed $15MM in 2016 and he has a $14MM vesting option for 2017. The deal would’ve been an interesting case of clubs essentially swapping one disappointment for another, as both Swisher and Johnson have posted underwhelming numbers over the last two seasons.
- Indians scouting director Brad Grant discusses his team’s top three draft picks (Brady Aiken, Triston McKenzie and Juan Hillman) with Fangraphs’ David Laurila, noting how the Tribe wasn’t shy to take a pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery and two high school arms.
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has a very impressive history at the trade deadline, as Tony Paul of the Detroit News lists nine deals that benefited the team over Dombrowski’s tenure.
I think Dombrowski trade’s Price…. then sign’s either Ceuto or Zimmerman this Winter…..
I disagree. How much do you expect a return from trading price to be? It’s not like they are getting kris Bryant as a return. Also, the Tigers would get a qualifying offer for keeping him, and would stay competitive for that second wild card spot.
I agree that the Tigers will probably keep Price. I find it interesting that posters seem to think that Detroit would get little for Price but they can’t get a Cueto or Samardzija because he would be too expensive.
If you think Price won’t get a big return, who do you think Detroit would need to use to get Cueto or Samardzija?
Cueto has a similar value to Price. They’d get something for Price; even Samardzija would yield a top 100, or a couple of top 150s. Tigers have any of those to trade?
I don’t know how to judge Samardzija. He didn’t bring much back to Oakland with an entire season of control left.
Didnt bring much? 2 legit mlbers with 6 years of control is a lot for one yeae.
They’d have to get something worth the comp pick at least. I just don’t see them making a major free agent pitching splash…they’ve been cutting guys loose the past few seasons that they had the chance to extend. Maybe pick up a Shields in a trade… But I think they have heavy competition in free agency. There are quite a few heavy hitters that will be shopping Free agent pitching. David Price might as well have his Cubs jersey hung in a locker room
No one has any idea what the Tigers could get for Price. One trade deadline season is not like another. This season is shaping up to be an extreme sellers market, or perhaps not. Point being, the Tigers better be shopping Price and their surplus of right handed power bats. You never know what a contending team will offer.
The Tigers are not a contending team. They must sell their most attractive assets if the, and please forgive the pun, price is right.
Mondesi looks like he is being rushed quite a bit. He doesn’t have any stellar numbers while playing in the minors, and he is already in AA. I understand that rankings are highly based on tools more so than performance (and I have no problems with the rankings), but I find it kinda surprising that he still isn’t in A-ball with him being so young.
I’m with you on this. I know they started him early as a 17 yo in the Sally League, but why keep moving him up? He hasn’t been good in any season and he’s now up to AA but has never hit league average at any stop. Out of 113 players with at least 150 PA in the Carolina League last year, Mondesi was 111th in OBP and 99th in OPS. The Royals should have started him off back at A+ this season to see if he could have any success with the bat.
If you can’t Hit Class A Pitching , growing up in a Baseball Family , then you can’t hit. Overrated
Thank goodness the trade for Swisher fell through. The Braves don’t need another albatross contract!
They’d be trading one (Johnson) for another (Swisher). They wouldn’t be taking on another one, but merely swapping the one they already have out for another.
And Chris’s contract is much cheaper and over at the end of next year I believe. Swisher is more expensive and lasts longer.
It’s like trading a broken arm for a car wreck. It would only make sense if a good prospect or two were to be included.
Johnson’s contract runs thru 17 with an option, Swisher runs thru 2016 with an vesting option. If anything Johnson has some value due to he’s healthy right now and isn’t on the DL with a knee injury.
I don’t know about Johnson’s health, but Swisher’s knees are shot and it’s a chronic arthritic condition. That alone should kill the deal.
Upton and Kennedy to Royal
I could see that Happening 1