The Mariners announced today that they have traded outfielder Dustin Ackley to the Yankees in exchange for outfield prospect Ramon Flores and right-hander Jose Ramirez.
Ackley, now 27 years old, came to the Mariners with a great deal of fanfare after being selected with the second overall pick in the 2009 draft. Selected one spot after Stephen Strasburg, Ackley was hailed as the best college bat in the draft on the strength of his play at UNC. Baseball America rated him as the No. 11 prospect prior to the 2010 season and No. 12 prior to the 2011 season, but Ackley’s excellent minor league play — .303/.401/.472 in 143 Triple-A games — never carried over to the Majors with any sort of consistency.
Ackley showed promise in his rookie season, hitting .273/.348/.417 in 90 games as a 23-year-old rookie in 2011, but since that time, he’s posted just a .236/.297/.356 line in 1844 big league plate appearances. He’s bounced around defensively but has settled in as mostly an outfielder in recent years. He does have quite a big of Major League experience at second base, with 2450 innings under his belt, but he has just 449 innings there since Opening Day 2013.
In exchange for Ackley, the Mariners will receive an outfielder that ranks 27th among New York prospects (Flores) and a right-handed reliever that has already cracked the Major Leagues (Ramirez). An earlier report indicated that the Yankees had initially offered Flores and minor league outfielder Ben Gamel, but the Mariners wanted more, so it stands to reason that Seattle considers Ramirez an upgrade over Gamel.
The 23-year-old Flores got a cup of coffee earlier this season but picked up just 33 plate appearances — far too small a sample from which to glean anything useful. He’s a career .268/.360/.429 hitter a the Triple-A level in parts of two seasons. MLB.com’s scouting report praises his hit tool and ability to spray line drives but also notes that he lacks the power to profile as a regular in the outfield. He has an average arm and can man all three outfield spots, giving him the ceiling of a fourth outfielder, per MLB.com.
Ramirez, 25, has thrown 13 innings with the Yankees over the past two seasons, striking out 10 but also issuing six walks. His average fastball hovers around 95 mph. Ramirez has shown the ability to miss bats in the minors — 100 strikeouts in 93 1/3 Triple-A innings — but he’s also issued 52 unintentional walks and hit seven batters in that time, so control is clearly an issue for him.
The YES Network’s Jack Curry reported that Ackley had been acquired by New York in exchange for Flores and Ramirez (All Twitter links). Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News had previously connected the Yankees to Ackley.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Why?
They wanted to prove they could do worse than Stephen Drew
Like.. I mean did the Phillies not want to part with Dom Brown or something?
I’d rather have Drew…
Ackley’s an outfielder now.
Even more perplexing then. Don’t the Yankees have like 6 of those?
You might be thinking of the Red Sox.
Utility depth.
He’s going to look weird without that beard.
NO!
Finally moving back to 2B?
more bargain bin losers again how unsurprising this team loves getting the cheap players no one else would ever want
Usually it works. I’m not complaining. We didn’t give away anything of importance.
Suck it, Blue Jays!
lol
Lol see my similar comment on the price story
Lol what a blockbuster by the Yankees. While the Blue Jays are getting Price and Tulo they’re getting Dustin Ackley.
And why must the Yankees make a “blockbuster?” Last time I check we’re not the one that has to climb over 2 teams and are 8 games out of the loss column
Because if the Yankees trade for players like Price and Tulo they’re “buying” championships. They’re just trying to make people happy and not do what they used to get criticized for doing all the time.
Ah yes, the altruistic Yanks…
Yeah really lol how underwhelming
The Blue Jays emptied out their farm system for a shot at the wild card. In a couple of years they will be back in the basement when Price/Bautista/Encarnacion are gone.
Because Tulo, Donaldson, Martin, Stroman, Sanchez, Travis wont be a good core…
Flores looked to have real potential what a waste.
Wrong NY team bruh
JK thought you were referring to Wilmer Flores, my mistake
Even Flores and J-ram feels like an overpay.
Take that Price and Tulo. And everyone thought the Yankees would be silent. Now let’s get Sidney Ponson out of retirement and win this thing
Maybe we can get Colon from the Mets in case A-Rod goes down he can DH.
What a gorgeous sight that would be! Colon as a fulltime dh!
Dumb move … I guess refsnyder not playing in majors anymore this year
My sources can confirm that Rob Refsnyder is openly weeping.
This is about a big of a headscratcher as you can get.
Ackley is an outfielder now so why would Refsnyder be weeping? Check your sources. I have serious doubts that they’re credible.
Pretty sure they’re going to use him at 2nd.
They’ve been trying to get Ackley for like 4 years
Cashmere always gets his guy.
How do I edit? Autocorrect changed Cashman to Cashmere hahah
Uggh. Still hoping we get a decent right arm.
The best part of this trade, is Ackley will finally have to shave off that god awful beard. With that gone, he might just produce.
RIP Dustin Ackley’s Beard.
We gave up almost nothing and get literally nothing, so I’m not too worried about it.
Bahahaha, Thank you for the prospects Yankees, Enjoy him hitting .230 for the rest of his career and watching strike 1 and 2 go right down the middle of the plate before he swings at the slider 6 feet off the plate 😀
Lol
“Prospects” is a strong word for what we gave up. We gave you bad bench depth for a bad 2B.
Ehhh, I’ll take potential over solid bust
I was thinking the same thing, except scratch that and reverse it…Ackley as a former #2 pick getting out of Safeco National Park and into the sunshine at Yankee Stadium screams potential if you ask me…(sidenote:Anyone else notice that Cano snapped a 4 month slump the second he stepped into the box at YS)
Again, what potential? Flores has the potential of a 4th outfielder and Ramirez is a 25 year old reliever who can’t stop walking people. Did you see his numbers from the last time he was promoted?
**Walking people in AAA
Small sample size in AAA this season but .286 isnt to shabby with that .360 OBP.
Plus he is only 23, Plenty of time to turn into a serviceable OF.
Not everyone can be Griffey or Trout breaking in at 18 and lighting the world on fire!
Jack Z moved Ackley for a pulse exhibiting human form…win
BIG LOL thanks a lot
pretty odd trade by the yankees
Ack ack!
Good luck with him Yankees. Had such high hopes after he was drafted. But to no avail. Watch…..knowing the Mariner’s luck, he will go to Yankees Stadium and turn into a 20 HR, .280 hitter…..lol. He IS a career .296 hitter in 54 ABs at Yankee Stadium.
At least Yankee fans won’t have to look at the beard
I was waiting for a squirrel to pop out halfway through an at bat. . .
As an M’s fan here’s a couple thoughts on Ackley: too often he strays mechanically. That’s usually what bites him. He’s been hitting well lately though, so maybe it’ll carry over. Solid defender, solid base runner. Good luck to him in New York.
This is very stupid
RIP to the beard 🙁
I totally don’t understand the move. Yeah I know drew sucks but between the two, where’s the real upgrade? Ryan, refsnyder, and pirela are also lurking. I’m baffled.
What are the yankees thinking. This guy won’t do anything. Horrible move sigh. I hope ya get a starter since pineda is injured now
It’s this time of year that makes it hard to defend Yankee fans with all the whining and such. Let the team play ball. No need to panic and give up our farm system. We’ve done that in years past and where has that gotten us?? I personally like the fact that we have home grown talent to look forward to while enjoying a decent lead in the AL East…… But i want an ompa lompa now daddy NOW!!!!!
Ackley swings like a guy falling down the stairs.
Everybody needs to look at the difference in Cano’s stats in Seattle vs New York. Project that onto Ackley and the Yankees may have picked up a solid player for next to nothing here. It is possible he could become a guy that hits around .270 with 20 HRs.
Cano has had health issues that have effected him more than park effect. Park effect is not killing Ackley..he’s been truly horrible while plying his trade locked away in the Pacific Northwest and 10pm start times for east coast viewers.
Does he have those potentials….maybe….but he’s not a break out guy…he’s just a college hitter that might have a low ceiling. He HAS made a few defensive plays in the OF
There could be other factors as well. A new coaching staff that can see faults that have been undetected. Joining a better hitting lineup.He also won’t have the pressure of being a high draft pick and the expectations that come with it. Look at Cameron Maybin, change of scenery can work wonders.