Trade Rumors – Marte and the Padres


Of all the teams in the Starling Marte trade battle, the Padres have the higher quality and higher quantity of prospects to easily pull it off.

You have to assume that MacKenzie Gore and Taylor Trammell are likely off the table and that is understandable. Both are projected to make an appearance in 2020 and possibly start out of spring in 2021. However Luis Patino maybe available. One requirement in any trade with the Padres would be Luis Campusano.

If the Padres would part with Patino and Campusano a straight up trade of them for Marte is more than enough normally and fair in the current market. Other small value moves might work into it as well such as low ranked MiLB depth players, Cash to help with Marte’s contract, etc.

However Patino would be a tough sell as a top 30 pipeline prospect and reduce quantity of possible players. So looking farther down the list then.

Ryan Weathers A left hander with three good pitches and control coming around. Pirates could use another left handed option and he should stick as a starter.

Michel Baez, Similar to Weathers from the right side. Baez didn’t have a great short sample MLB performance last year but had some luck that kept his ERA down.

Hudson Potts, a third basemen with power which is something not in our system currently. A backup option to Ke’Bryan Hayes who isn’t projected to have much power which is wanted at the hot corner but does have one of the best gloves of all prospects and his contact approach isn’t the worst.

Jake Cronenworth is very interesting. A two way player at short and relief. He hasn’t gotten a lot of innings in the minors but in 7.1 innings he has a 11+ k/9 and 6 saves not giving up any runs how ever he did have a 5+ xFIP. But the sample is so small none of that is reliable. He has a decent bat, and in a trade for Marte trying to put him in a corner outfield spot could work out.

Luis Torrens a Catcher who is likely at best a cheap backup that isn’t the best on defense. His MiLB bat was pretty decent but hasn’t translated to the MLB in in a smaller sample.

Pretty much it boils down to.

Campusano, Weathers, Cronenworth and Torrens. A lower 100 prospect. A fringy top 100 prospect. A Backup to the Backup catcher and an interesting player.

For Marte and a bit of cash to help with Marte’s contract, a low end prospect or possibly the Pirates compensation draft pick.

You could swap out Baez for Weathers but a lefty would be a better option for the Pirates. Any deal with out Campusano should be out right rejected by the Pirates. After that there is wiggle room

As fairly recent comparison for a Pirates trade is Andrew McCutchen. One year of Cutch netted the Pirates a fringy top 100 and a fairly bad relief pitcher. Cutch dive bombed since his MVP year. Marte is reliable and is in a more competitive market. A lower top 100, fringy top 100 and some change for two years of Marte is fair with a bit of kick back to the Padres.