The Guardians and Reds finalized the deal that sent Will Benson to Cincinnati tonight, with left-handed pitcher Steve Hajjar, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft who the Reds acquired from the Twins in the Tyler Mahle trade last summer alongside Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, headed to the Guardians. Both teams have announced Hajjar’s inclusion in the deal.
Hajjar, 22, joins Justin Boyd, Cincinnati’s second round pick in the 2022, as the return going to Cleveland in exchange for Benson, who struggled in a 28 game big league debut for the Guardians last year. Benson, who slashed .252/.353/.479 in 116 games at the Triple-A level for his career, figures to open the 2023 season in the Reds starting outfield alongside TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley.
Hajjar, posted a 3.61 ERA in 52 1/3 innings of work in 2022, his first professional season. While Hajjar played in complex ball, Single-A, and High-A during his first season, the bulk of his innings came at Single-A, where he posted a 2.47 ERA in 43 2/3 innings. Boyd, meanwhile, appeared in 22 minor league games after last summer’s draft, struggling to a .203/.277/.270 line while spending most of his time at Single-A.
Too much to pay imo
Agreed, but they both seem like lottery picks, and Benson is far from a sure thing.
I assume hajjer was on a list of – if benson breaks camp- u can pick from these players. Then if he didn’t break camp- deal was either complete or lesser prospects to pick from. Still an overpay, but could be a huge win for reds at end of day. Kid had a great spring
Good moves.
Guardians received two 2nd rd picks for Benson! WOW!!!
At least, those were past draft picks and not future ones. That separates MLB from the NBA.
Smacks of desperation by the kid GM after Senzel was proven not ready, something that even Stevie Wonder could see coming.
Benson is far from a sire thing, it is true. Definitely a roll of the fuzzy dice.
That’s not really how krall or reds operate. They prob had their eye on benson before he was drafted and bought in, at a high price, when guardians where ready to move on from him. Pinder was the senzel replacement. Then benson took his spot
Boyd was a huge overdraft. Reds went way over slot to get Collier. And Hajjar was a throw-in after Steer and Encarnacion-Strand. Odds Boyd/Hajjar/Benson even make an impact is small so how is this desperate?
If you give up two recent 2nd round picks for a suspect, which he obviously is if Cleveland is cutting him loose, that is the very definition of desperation.
Maybe they they turn out to be something, maybe not, but they were picked that high for a reason, and no one knows yet. Even if one does, it’s a good deal for Cleveland.
How come you reposted the original article from when the trade happened without the PTBNL to complete the transaction update earlier?
You know, it’s permissible—if not preferable—to start your sentence with ‘meanwhile” instead of throwing it in the center and interrupting its flow.
Makes sense. Benson has proven himself into the late minors and is MLB ready as he’s going to get. Boyd was totally overmatched in Low-A so the outlook is very poor at this point. Hajjar’s been good at generating strikeouts, but he walks far, far too many guys. Just have to see how Hajjar’s control problems look against High-A hitters this year. Maybe Cleveland sees something they think they can correct?