The Rays are dealing reliever JT Chargois and infielder Xavier Edwards to the Marlins for prospects Marcus Johnson and Santiago Suarez, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link).
Chargois will step directly into the Miami bullpen. The hard-throwing righty owns a 2.49 ERA through 76 innings split between the Mariners and Rays over the past two seasons. He’s fanned a solid 23.2% of opponents against a manageable 8.3% walk rate, missing bats at a roughly league average clip. Chargois missed a couple months this past season due to tightness in his left oblique, but he managed a 2.42 ERA with a huge 59.7% ground-ball percentage when healthy.
It’s unlikely Chargois will continue to strand upwards of 80% of baserunners, as he has the last two years. ERA estimators have pegged his performance more in the mid-3.00s range, but he should still be an affordable power arm in the middle innings for first-year manager Skip Schumaker. Chargois held right-handed batters to a woeful .200/.235/.385 line this year. He’s in the first of three seasons of arbitration eligibility and projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a $1MM salary.
Edwards, a former Padres draftee, was a key piece of the deal that sent Blake Snell to San Diego. A switch-hitting infielder, he draws praise for his top-of-the-line speed and has played almost exclusively in the middle infield as a professional. Edwards appeared among Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects during the 2019-20 offseason and ranked among the top ten in the strong Tampa Bay system as recently as this year.
The 23-year-old seemed to stall out at Triple-A Durham this season, however. Over 400 trips to the dish, he hit just .246/.328/.350 with five home runs. A 10.8% walk rate and 18.8% strikeout percentage are each solid, but the Florida native didn’t find much extra-base impact. He also swiped a career-low seven bases in 11 attempts.
Edwards would have been eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not added to the 40-man roster this evening. Tampa Bay apparently wasn’t planning to do that, so they’ll deal him to a club that ostensibly is willing to put him on the roster. Moving Chargois clears a roster spot, and while it subtracts a productive big league reliever, it’s the kind of churn at the back of the 40-man roster to which the Rays have been accustomed.
In return, they’ll add a pair of further-away players to the farm system. Johnson was Miami’s fourth-round pick this year out of Duke. A 6’6″ right-handed pitcher, he signed for just north of $507K. Baseball America’s draft report noted the high spin rate on his slider and added that the 21-year-old sits in the 92-95 MPH range with his fastball. Suarez, 17, just signed with Miami as an amateur prospect from Venezuela. He made 11 starts in the Dominican Summer League this year.
Marlins did pretty good on this one.
Pretty good. Xavier Edwards isn’t the same prospect he was when the Padres sent him to the Rays, or when (apparently) mlb.com wrote up their prospect ratings. He’s nowhere near the #4 guy in the Rays stacked system. Probably a utility infielder now, and not a particularly good one. Chargois though is a good pitcher, and the Marlins appear to have given up very little. Given that it’s the Rays though, watch out for the pitcher they acquired, Marcus Johnson, an ex-Dukie.
Marlins win this trade by a lot. Rays are going senile for these 40 man roster spots
How often do the Rays “lose” on trades in the long run, 25%?
If the Rays win this one they will earn it. Marlins get a good reliever. A 4th round college arm and a international teenager are easily replaced.
So you think now. But time and time again, the Rays have turned afterthoughts into legitimate MLB pieces.
@myaccount2 I won’t think any different in the future. Both these guys could turn into all stars. But Miami didn’t put much into developing them. International class and 4th round pick every year. They could trade Chargois right now and get prospects they like better. Hopefully use him for a year or 2 and do the same. Much rather be Miami on this one.
Fair enough. I guess my point is these players might be more than what Miami saw in them. A 4th round pitcher can be a wash out at A ball for sure… or they can be Spencer Strider.
@myaccount2 I agree with you 100 percent. A 17 year old has a lot of physical development to go. If they seen some amazing potential they wouldn’t have traded them though. Not saying they can’t amount to anything. Just that it is so easy for Miami to replace them. They are so early in the development process. Miami probably wants the reliever. Just saying they probably could flip him for a prospect package they like better than they sent to Tampa. Miami can draft someone in the 4th round and sign a kid this year that have the same odds of working out. It’s a numbers game.
You cant really consider the Marlins as though they operate like other organizations, where they have any semblance of understanding of value, and how to get value in trades. They objectively dont
Rays loaded with players like Edwards, Walls, Paredes Bruján on roster and young. In system Mead, Wiiliams, Jones, Colmenarez, Vasquez, Basabe, Caminero. Wander is signed long term, still have Brandon Lowe at 2nd could move to 1st base. Diaz 3rd/1st. no room for Edwards get something for him. Chargois was expendable with Fairbanks , Adam, Kitteridge, (coming back) Thompson have a prospect Colby White
They are loaded with middle infielders that never develop any power or a .350 OBP. Franco excluded.
Edwards can’t run anymore and he never developed pop.
He’s basically a 2B/super utility flyer.
The Rays will probably make this reliever useful one day but on the surface doesn’t look like much of a give from MIA.
** he can run. But couldnt steal bases as he climbed the level. Odd really that a guy with his speed can’t but he’s only gotten worse.
Surprising but I’d have a hard time thinking that MIA gets something out of him TB didn’t.
Huh?
So who would you allow not to protect?
Bradley? Mead?
Who would release? Baz? Kittredge? Rays are loaded with INFs & you are not taking into account the next few years with the prospects the Rays acquired.
The rays are loaded up the middle cuz they draft SS a ton, which I get cuz you go with athleticism and can move them in the minors to fit their development. What I don’t understand is when they have moved mlb talent recently, they also double down by getting middle infielders/centerfielders in return as part of the packages. I understand what they are and the backend roster churn but they never seem to get any position player prospects back in return that have above avg power or above avg hit tools.Its always low minors athletic up the middle guys. I’m just referencing mlb players leaving via trade not something like randy for liberatore where both were still prospects. I’d like to see a bit more balance in returns is all and not to say I don’t trust what they do because they constantly are above avg but not necessarily well rounded when they rely so much on younger cheaper talent. Just one man’s opinion.
I agree, The one young guy they had with some pop (Nate Lowe) they trade away.
Xavier Edwards, better known as “some slapd*ck prospect” in Blake Snell’s household
If I was the GM of a team, I’d call the Rays and the Dodgers to propose a trade to see which prospects they want. I’d then take those prospects off the board for future trades.
Brilliant!
Dang. Never even got to see Edwards at the ML level. Classic Rays trade…won’t know for about six or seven years if it was worth it, and by then we will have forgotten Chargois’ contributions…and Xavier Edwards and the trade he was supposed to be the centerpiece of. Ugh.
Does anyone ever win a trade with the Rays?
Pirates were happy with Dickerson. Doubt the Padres want Edwards back for Crone. Brewers seemed to do ok with Adames.
I think the Rays are happy with Rass and Feyerisan (I butchered that)
Adames wasn’t doing them any good at home games. A good win win trade.
Nationals (Trea Turner) Padres (Croneworth)
“we lost pham for renfroe and some slapd1k prospect.” Poor Xavier Edwards, every time I hear his name Blake Snells little fit is the first thing I think of. Oh well, sure he could care less.
I’m confused. Thought NG was in the market for league proven position players to meet needs until their position player prospects develope.
Bummed, too. I pictured Orioles Urias and Hays for Lopez. Two proven position players and fit within the budget constraints of Fish ownership. Os get their SP help.
Hi C Yards Jeff;
Don’t know that these move influence what Ms. Ng is doing in that regard.
Would say this – for the 2nd year in a row she’s trying to find a CF that can defend and hit above average. She’s dangling pitching. But Lopez is their #2, and doubt she’s parting with him unless she gets overwhelmed in trade.
Hays is nice. He can play CF. But pitchers are valuable – particularly young TOR pitchers. They’d want more than him. Urias is primarily a 3B, can play 2B. Their best player – Jazz Chisholm Jr. – is a 2B. When he gets back from injuries Jon Berti and Jordan Groshans will be given a crack at 3B, along with Joey Wendle. Then we add Edwards to the mix.
What you’re proposing is the Marlins giving up their 2nd best pitcher for a decent CF but hardly a future All-Star, and a 3B / 2B that she’s already stocked up with (In 2022 Berti lead MLB in stolen bases – with the rule changes he’s liable to do better in 2023).
I think Ms. Ng might go along with Hays as well as another prospect for one of her other starters. That’s more realistic.
@Samuel: good morning. Sounds like Lopez is a beast! And if upgrading CF position is priority for NG and company that would bring Mullins not Hays in to the discussion. Hope Elias doesn’t go there. Other than Adley R, IMO, extending Mullins would be a prudent move as well.
I’m bummed free agency and trading is over. Seems like it just started. Thought Miami still had tome to get those position players. Time flys.
Looks like the Rays are selling high on Chargois as they often do.
Huh? Mlbtr, Edwards was never in the deal that brought Snell to Pads. He was in the deal that sent Pham and Cronenworth to SD.
recycle, Recycle, RECYCLE!!!!!!!
This is a classic Marlins move, especially of the last 2-3 years. Trade for similar bullpen arms fo add to the terrible bullpen, after moving similar arms and/or the only useful ones for almost nothing, and hope they continue to get away with certain shortcomings…I think this is the 3rd time the Rays got them with that recently
I’m positive this backfires in the Rays favor, and the 17 year old pitcher becomes legit in the next 2 years, and Marcus Johnson becomes a useful bullpen arm in that time as well
Was never personally high on Xavisr Edwards, both defensively, and especially at the plate, but again, fits the type of guy they keep trying to add the last several years, so they can play him out of position and likely force him down everyone’s throats as someone better than he is b/c he was highly ranked at one point, and they want to be able to say “look guys, we’re doing well…”