Prospect Rumor Roundup: Elite Shortstops
Is this the beginning of a new era for shortstops?
Four publications — Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus (subscription required), Keith Law at ESPN (subscription required), and FanGraphs (compiled by yours truly) — recently released their midseason Top 50 prospects lists. The rankings featured as many as eight elite shortstop prospects. That position is widely considered to be the most important (non-pitcher) spot on the baseball field and those potential star athletes are highly-sought-after commodities on the open market, through trades and via the draft.
Of those eight prospects featured on the four lists, five of the players are found in American League organizations, suggesting we may be soon entering another Era of the Shortstop, similar to what we experienced in the early 2000s with the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Miguel Tejada in the AL.
Let's have a closer look at those eight shortstop prospects…
1. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: Bogaerts was the highest ranked shortstop on all four lists. Boston is clearly planning for the day that the Aruba native is ready to contribute at the big league level as they recently had him playing games at the hot corner — an area of weakness for the playoff hungry club. However, the recent trade of Jose Iglesias, as well as the pending free agency of veteran Stephen Drew, should provide a clear path to the Major League shortstop job for Bogaerts, who has more than held his own at the Triple-A level.
2. Francisco Lindor, Indians: Just 19, Cleveland's top shortstop prospect earned a mid-season promotion from High-A to Double-A after a strong showing both in the field and at the plate. Veteran incumbent Asdrubal Cabrera's uninspired 2013 season could help convince the front office that his time with the organization is coming to an end. Lindor, who is only in his third professional season, could be ready for the Majors by the middle of 2014. He could develop into a perennial Gold Glove winner at shortstop.
3. Carlos Correa, Astros: The first overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa has produced above-average offensive numbers in Low-A ball despite being just 18 years of age. The Puerto Rico native has shown a natural hitting ability, but he has yet to tap into his raw power. There are concerns that he'll eventually outgrow shortstop, but he should have the offensive chops to be an above-average player at just about any position on the field.
4. Javier Baez, Cubs: Baez has arguably the best raw power out of any player on this list, and he already has 27 home runs in 98 games this year. Like Lindor (a fellow 2011 first-round draft pick), he's already reached Double-A. Unlike the Indians prospect, though, his offensive game is raw. He has a very aggressive approach at the plate, which has resulted in just 29 walks with 111 strikeouts in 391 at-bats. As is the case with Correa, there has been some talk of moving Baez to third base. However, with fellow prospect Mike Olt (recently acquired from the Rangers) – a plus defender at the hot corner — that move doesn't make a ton of sense now. He could also move out to right field, but the Cubs organization features a lot of depth in that area. If and when everything clicks for Baez, though, Chicago will certainly find a spot for him.
5. Addison Russell, Athletics: Russell, a 2012 first-rounder, burst onto the prospect landscape in a big way last season. His strong play earned him an aggressive assignment to High-A ball to open the 2013 season despite being just 19 years old. He struggled in the first two months of the season but has posted an OPS near 1.000 during the past two months. Russell probably won't be ready until 2015, so current big league shortstop Jed Lowrie likely has one more season of job security before he finds himself at another position or on another club.
6. Alen Hanson, Pirates: The emergence of Jordy Mercer has added some middle infield stability at the big league level for the Pirates but he's not likely to be the long-term answer at shortstop. Hanson, 20, is the best in-house option to eventually take over the position — although his name has popped up more than a few times in recent trade rumors. After a strong showing in High-A ball, the Dominican native was recently promoted to Double-A. The switch-hitter has shown the ability to steal 20-30 bases with solid line-drive pop.
7. Raul Mondesi, Royals: Previously known as Adalberto Mondesi, this shortstop prospect is one of the youngest players in full-season ball, having just recently turned 18. His inexperience has shown in 2013, and he walked just four times in May and June. His raw ability is undeniable, though, and he's made adjustments with a strong month of July — including 13 walks and his highest monthly OPS of the year at .817.
8. Corey Seager, Dodgers: Seager — whose brother Kyle Seager plays for the Mariners — is perhaps the most underrated shortstop on this list. The teenager has enjoyed his time in the Midwest League, and he's been on fire over the summer months with an OPS approaching 1.000. He's also slugged eight of his 11 home runs in June and July. Like Correa, Seager is expected to outgrow shortstop but he's shown enough skill at the position to suggest he may be able to stick there for a few more years. He's likely at least two seasons away from reaching Los Angeles.
Astros Release Carlos Pena
July 31: The Astros have released Pena, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The club released Cedeno on Sunday.
July 21: The Astros have designated Carlos Pena and Ronny Cedeno for assignment, Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Cedeno's departure clears the way for Jonathan Villar, who has been promoted and will be the Astros' new starting shortstop.
Pena was hitting .209/.324/.350, continuing his longstanding trend of struggling to hit for average — he still takes plenty of walks, but he hasn't posted a batting average above .227 since 2008. He signed a one-year, $2.9MM contract with the Astros in December. Brett Wallace and Chris Carter appear likely to take over much of Pena's playing time at first base.
Cedeno was hitting .220/.260/.298 in 141 at bats. He signed with the Astros in March after being released by the Cardinals. Villar, 22, was hitting .278/.342/.444 for Triple-A Oklahoma City. The Astros acquired him, along with J.A. Happ and Anthony Gose, when they sent Roy Oswalt to the Phillies in 2010.
July Trade Recap: AL West
The trade deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn't as active as deadlines in recent years, plenty of action still took place in each division. Here's a recap of the trades involving AL West teams…
Astros
- Acquired Ronald Torreyes from the Cubs in exchange for two international bonus slots.
- Acquired outfielder Danry Vasquez and a player to be named later from the Tigers in exchange for closer Jose Veras.
- Acquired right-hander Kyle Smith from the Royals in exchange for outfielder Justin Maxwell.
- Acquired outfielder L.J. Hoes, left-hander Josh Hader and the second pick in 2014's Competitive Balance Round A from the Orioles in exchange for right-hander Bud Norris and an international bonus slot valued at $213K.
Angels
- Acquired outfielder Julio Concepcion and right-hander Andres Perez from the Mets in exchange for international bonus slot.
- Acquired right-hander Cory Rasmus from the Braves in exchange for left-hander Scott Downs.
- Acquired second baseman Grant Green from the Athletics in exchange for third baseman/second baseman Alberto Callaspo.
Athletics
- Acquired second baseman/third baseman Alberto Callaspo from the Angels in exchange for second baseman Grant Green.
Mariners
- Did not make a trade.
Rangers
- Acquired right-hander Matt Garza from the Cubs in exchange for third baseman Mike Olt, right-handers C.J. Edwards and Justin Grimm and a player to be named later.
Synopsis
Predictably, the Astros were the most active team on the trade front, dealing veterans in exchange for prospects to continue to bolster their farm system. The trade of Maxwell was a surprise, as he hadn't been involved and any rumors and was marketed as a building block prior to the season.
The A's and Angels pulled off a rare intra-division trade, with Oakland giving up on a former first-round pick in exchange for an immediate (and needed) upgrade at second base. The Angels also landed a high-strikeout arm with questionable command for Downs, who is a free agent at season's end.
The Rangers made perhaps the biggest trade of July, landing Garza from the Cubs. However, they neglected to add a bat, which could prove costly down the stretch, especially if Lance Berkman is lost for the year and Nelson Cruz ultimately serves a suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis investigation.
The Mariners stood pat entirely, which is questionable considering the reported interest in players like Mike Morse, Oliver Perez, Kendrys Morales, Joe Saunders and Raul Ibanez — all of whom are free agents at season's end. At 12.5 games out of first place and 8.5 games back from a Wild Card spot, this seemed to be a prime opportunity to improve for the future. However, many have speculated that GM Jack Zduriencik feels the need to finish with as strong a record as possible, given that he's not under contract for 2014 at this time.
Orioles Acquire Bud Norris
The Orioles have acquired Bud Norris and an international bonus slot from the Astros in exchange for outfielder L.J. Hoes, left-hander Josh Hader and a 2014 Competitive Balance pick. The Orioles won the second pick of Comp Round A in this year’s Competitive Balance lottery. In 2013, that would’ve been the No. 35 pick, which carried a value of $1.588MM. The Astros will send the No. 91 international bonus slot in the deal, which is valued at $213K.
Norris, 28, has a 3.93 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 126 innings with the Astros this season. Despite being Houston’s highest paid player, Norris is earning just $3MM in 2013. He is controlled through 2015 and is eligible for arbitration for the second time this offseason. With Norris now in Baltimore, Erik Bedard becomes the highest-paid player on the Astros’ roster at just $1.15MM — an unthinkable concept in today’s game.
Hoes, a 23-year-old outfielder, ranked as Baltimore’s No. 6 prospect prior to the season according to Baseball America. Selected by the Orioles in the third round of the 2008 draft, Hoes is batting .304/.406/.403 in 430 plate appearances for Triple-A Norfolk this season. BA notes that Hoes is a pure hitter with a nice line-drive swing with plenty of patience that should lead to high on-base percentages. If his power develops, he profiles as an everyday left fielder, according to BA.
Hader ranked 19th among Orioles prospects prior to the season according to BA, but MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo has him ranked fifth among O’s prospects in the midseason edition of his list, thanks to a strong season at Class-A Delmarva. In 85 innings this season, the 19-year-old Hader has a 2.65 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9. According to Mayo, Hader sits 89-93 mph with his fastball, and his curveball and changeup both project to be average pitches at the least.
The Orioles were the most aggressive team in trades this July, acquiring Scott Feldman, Francisco Rodriguez and Norris to bolster their pitching staff. The Astros, meanwhile, dealt Norris and Jose Veras to continue to build what has become a strong farm system.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported that the two sides had reached an agreement for Hoes and a Competitive Balance pick (Twitter links). Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reported that Hader was involved in the deal (on Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Orioles Making Progress On Deal For Bud Norris
Reports this morning have indicated that the Orioles are still in on Bud Norris, who is controllable through 2015 via arbitration. Norris has been one of the most talked about players leading up to this season’s deadline. Here’s the latest on the 28-year-old…
- The Orioles are making progress on a trade for Norris, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
Earlier Updates
- The Orioles are still in the mix for Norris, while the Giants are doubtful, tweets Stark.
- Talks for Norris have accelerated in the past hour, and the Pirates, D’Backs and Orioles have been in contact, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
- ESPN’s Jayson Stark tweets that the odds of a Norris trade are up to 75 percent, and multiple teams are still involved.
- The D’Backs are a “distant maybe” for Norris at this point, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- Knobler also tweets that the Indians have had some recent talks with the Astros regarding Norris, though it’s not clear how strong their interest is. Cleveland is reportedly working hard to acquire a starter.
- The Rangers have interest in acquiring Norris, possibly for the purpose of flipping him for a hitter, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
- The Braves have indeed jumped into the mix, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The Orioles, Pirates and D’Backs remain possibilities, and there’s a general sense that Norris will be dealt, adds Passan.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports disagrees, reporting that the Braves aren’t in on Norris and never have been (Twitter link). MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets a similar report.
- Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets that the Pirates have the interest and ability to put together a package of lower-level prospects if that type of return interests Astros GM Jeff Luhnow.
- The Giants and Pirates continue to show a lot of interest in Norris, while the Rangers and D’Backs are in the background as well, according to Peter Gammons of the MLB Network (Twitter link).
- The Astros need to lower their asking price on Norris significantly for the Orioles to be serious players, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link).
- Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle writes that the Astros have standing offers for Norris but are hoping someone ups their bid as the deadline nears. The Pirates, Orioles and Diamondbacks have shown interest, and a fourth team is in the mix as well. Offers to this point “have been pretty soft,” Smith adds.
- The Astros appear to be collecting their final offers for Norris, tweets ESPN’s Jayson Stark. The Giants could be a dark horse for Norris, and the Orioles are in the mix, according to Stark.
- Interest in Norris is picking up, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). The Orioles are in the mix, and Cafardo reports that the Braves have re-joined the talks as well.
- The Diamondbacks and Pirates don’t seem to be aggressively pursuing Norris, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter). Heyman notes that there’s a chance the Astros hang onto Norris.
Royals Acquire Justin Maxwell
The Royals have acquired Justin Maxwell from the Astros, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The Astros receive minor league pitcher Kyle Smith, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.
Maxwell, 29, can play all three outfield positions and is hitting .241/.311/.387 with a pair of homers and four steals in 151 plate appearances this season. He slugged 18 homers last season for Houston and has hit lefties at a .253/.370/.455 clip throughout his career. Maxwell is controllable through the 2016 season and will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason.
Smith, 20, has a 2.85 ERA, 8.3 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 0.78 HR/9 this year in 104 1/3 High-A innings. Prior to the season, Baseball America ranked him 12th among Royals prospects, noting a No. 3 starter ceiling.
While many have speculated that the Royals should ultimately be sellers, the team certainly took a win-now approach this offseason in trading a prospect package highlighted by Wil Myers for James Shields and Wade Davis. They're riding a seven-game winning streak that has pushed them back above .500. Maxwell should be able to platoon with David Lough in right field and fill in around the outfield when needed.
Maxwell is the second significant piece to be moved by the Astros this week, as general manager Jeff Luhnow traded closer Jose Veras to the Tigers in exchange for outfield prospect Danry Vasquez and a PTBNL earlier this week.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Orioles Looking For Starters, Bats
1:55pm: The Orioles are lukewarm on Morneau as well as Mike Morse, tweets Scott Miller of CBS Sports.
12:11pm: Saunders is not a target for the Orioles right now, hears Connolly.
12:02pm: The Orioles are interested in a reunion with Joe Saunders, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. They also have some degree of interest in Oliver Perez, he adds.
10:57am: Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the Orioles feel the asking prices remain too high in their pursuits of upgrades to their offense and rotation.
10:47am: Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the O's kicked around the idea of acquiring Morneau but don't see a fit due to his contract and lack of production. Nothing has heated up in recent days, he adds.
10:23am: The Orioles are still engaged in trade talks for Astros righty Bud Norris and Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio (on Twitter).
Baltimore's interest in both players has been well-documented to this point, though they appear to have shown more interest in Norris than Morneau. Norris is controllable for two additional seasons and earning just $3MM in 2013, while the slumping Morneau is a free agent at season's end and is owed an additional $4.6MM through season's end.
Bud Norris Rumors: Tuesday
28-year-old Astros starter Bud Norris was scratched from his start in Baltimore today amid swirling trade rumors. The righty is under team control through 2015. The latest:
- Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets that the Pirates have no plans to move Glasnow, though they still have plenty in the system to acquire Norris. Alex Rios also remains a target for Pittsburgh.
Earlier Updates
- In addition to the Orioles and Pirates, the Diamondbacks are also in the mix for Norris, according to McTaggart (on Twitter). The D'Backs are also said to be hot after Jake Peavy, though I imagine they're only interested in adding one of the two arms.
- Astros manager Bo Porter told reporters, including Brian McTaggart of MLB.com that trade talkes regarding Norris have "gotten deeper." Norris will start for Houston tomorrow if he isn't traded, adds McTaggart (Twitter links).
- The Orioles have yet to make an offer on Norris, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. They appear to have interest in the Angels' Jason Vargas, more of an August trade candidate after he recovers from a blood clot in his left armpit.
- Three teams are hard after Norris, reports McTaggart, including the Orioles, though no deal is imminent.
- Norris is very likely to be traded today, tweets Yahoo's Jeff Passan, and Pittsburgh could be his landing spot. He adds that the Pirates won't trade center field Gregory Polanco for Norris, but the Astros do like righty Tyler Glasnow. Passan goes on to write that other teams are still in on Norris, and one executive says the Astros are motivated to move him.
- Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle says that while Norris hasn't been informed he's been traded, all signs point to a deal by the deadline. In contrast, Danny Knobler of CBS Sports hears the Astros have no trade close with anyone as of now.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Orioles Trade Targets: Byrd, Oliver Perez
The Orioles currently stand to take the second wild card spot in the American League, and they've already bolstered their pitching staff with the additions of Scott Feldman and Francisco Rodriguez. Here's the latest on their trade targets, courtesy of Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun:
- Connolly feels the Phillies' Michael Young is the best fit for the Orioles at DH, but the team hasn't made an aggressive push for him at this point. Connolly expects Young to go elsewhere if traded.
- The Orioles are interested in the Mets' Marlon Byrd. However, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News writes today that Byrd is "highly unlikely" to be traded. Connolly also believes Mariners lefty reliever Oliver Perez is the most likely player to be acquired by the Orioles.
- Connolly says to forget about Cliff Lee and Jake Peavy. Instead, the O's have coveted the Astros' Bud Norris and Chris Sale of the White Sox.
- Connolly expects the Orioles to pass on the Twins' Justin Morneau.
- Orioles minor leaguers Mike Wright, Tim Berry, and Christian Walker have piqued teams' interests.
- Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette feels he has the money and prospects to make a deal, if the right one comes along.
Trade Reactions: Jose Veras, Scott Downs
We've seen three relievers get shipped off to new teams already today, with the Tigers acquiring Jose Veras for Danry Vasquez and a PTBNL, the Braves landing Scott Downs for Cory Rasmus and the Rays making a play for the injured Jesse Crain. The Crain deal will remain an unknown as the two sides are still working out "future considerations" to be sent to the White Sox due to Crain's DL status, but the baseball world is already weighing in on the Veras and Downs deals. Let's take a look…
Jose Veras
- Dave Cameron of Fangraphs calls the trade a win-win move. He notes that over the past year, Veras has been statisically similar to Jonathan Papelbon but comes at a fraction of the price. The Astros, meanwhile, cashed in on an asset for which they had little need and received someone with notable upside in the process.
- ESPN's Keith Law also likes the move for both sides (ESPN Insider required and recommended), noting that Vasquez's prospect status has slipped this season, but he's still a nice lottery ticket for the Astros, who have little need for a solid closer in a likely 100-loss season.
- Houston GM Jeff Luhnow told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he's been following Vasquez since he was an international free agent and is excited to add him to the team's Class-A affiliate: "And he's at the A ball level, and you plug him into Quad Cities with [Rio] Ruiz, [Carlos] Correa and the pitchers there, it's a pretty formidable group there and pretty exciting. He's young and has a tremendous upside. He has the potential to be hit in the middle of the lineup."
- The move was bittersweet for Veras, who told McTaggart that he considers Houston his home but is excited to be going to a team with a chance to make the playoffs. He also has friends such as Omar Infante, Brayan Pena and Ramon Santiago in Detroit.
Scott Downs
- Cameron offers his take on the Downs trade as well, noting that Downs shouldn't face righties anymore but can still provide a boost in the playoffs against tough lefties like Joey Votto and Adrian Gonzalez. The Angels didn't get much back in return, in Cameron's mind, as most organizations have plenty of relief prospects who can throw 93 mph and miss bats with questionable command. However, getting "something just north of nothing" was better than simply letting Downs leave at season's end.
- Downs "[has] a place in any modern day bullpen," given his dominance over lefties, writes Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Eddy provides a scouting report on Rasmus, whose biggest weakness is his control. Eddy points out that Rasmus is capable of retiring both lefties and righties if he can reign in the walks.
- One scout told Danny Knobler of CBS Sports that Downs has lost the "turbo-sink" that prompted Anaheim to sign him to a three-year, $15MM contract but wondered if joining a playoff contender will revitalize the 37-year-old lefty.
- The Braves got Downs "for virtually nothing" writes Law (ESPN Insider required). Rasmus profiles as a generic right-handed reliever whose main value is that he's cost-controlled. Rasmus' high fly-ball rates will play better in Angel Stadium and with Anaheim's defense though, Law adds.