Adam Fraizer has been on fire so far this year at the plate currently in the top three in the MLB for hits and first in the NL. With his solid + glove should he be traded now while he is hot?
Why would we trade him now? Well a few reasons. Adam is on fire and a ‘sell high’ situation is here. The team is playing closer to expectations, under .500 so no need for a short term contract guy at the moment. The team also has multiple prospects to play the middle infield that need time.
Adam IS on fire but typically he is a .750 OPS guy, but he also quality + defense at second base. His return “shouldn’t” return a Top 100 prospect, especially now with much hire quality prospects around the league. But he should be able to return a 50 rating prospect and change or a couple 45 rating prospects. Depending the quality and need there might also be a kick back as well.
What should we look for? Catching prospects! anyone really. any trade with out a 45 rating or higher catcher prospect is a no go. Preferably with a ’22/’23 time table. The team really has no prospects in the pipeline at the position. There are plenty of quality prospect catchers around now and some teams have a surplus.
The Blue Jays seem like a good fit and would be my primary target. They need a decent guy to get the ball in play. On defense, yeah the Jays have some people in second base but ‘most’ can play multiple positions reasonably well. It also helps that Ben has worked in that system with many of these players. Also the Jays need a quality MLB catcher…. just so happens we got one of them too.
With the Jays need for a hitter, Adam is a good choice. With the Jays need for an MLB catcher Stallings is also a great choice. Adams has control through 2022 so he will not be depriving players of much time more so since so many of those up the middle will be able to play multiple positions. Stallings has control through 2024 which would free up the Jays prospect(s) and an MLB catcher.
Arm chair GM trade proposal? The Blue Jays get, Adam Frazier, Jacob Stallings and Michael Burrows. This fills two of the Jays biggest needs in 2021 and a back end or swing man prospect.
The Pirates get, Reese McGuire, Gabriel Moreno, Joey Murray and either Will Robinson or Josh Palacios.
Moreno is a pretty darn good catching prospect as a three and a half tool type player. Power and defense shows that he could be and everyday catcher in a few years. With Stallings on the roster and more of a ‘sure’ thing Moreno would be less of a need and with Adams nearly ready he too could be an everyday catcher or at least a quality backup giving the Jays two good catchers going forward.
Joey Murray is likely a long relief type pitcher and the reality is, most of the time if a long relief pitcher is coming in you can put most anyone out there. Those ‘any ones’ are a dime a dozen. He could push his way into a back end starter role though.
Will Robinson is mostly a one trick pony and that is his power bat from the left side of the plate which would play well in PNC Park and something the team desperately needs. Josh Palacios is more of a 4th outfielder type but in Pittsburgh that could be an everyday outfielder in 2022 once Polanco presumably will be gone.
Reese McGuire is a drop in replacement for Stallings on the short term. Not expecting a lot from him but he possibly could be a decent backup catcher forced in to a starting role in 2021 and probably 2022. He also has control so once a young catcher gets on to the team the Pirates will have a quality backup in place.
Again Adam Frazier is a hitter with good defense and can play a super utility role with over a year and a half of control. Jacob Stallings has a lot of control with plus defense and pretty good clutch hitting. This is pretty valuable for MLB quality players.
Even so, Moreno is a hard sell. Replacing him with Adams and someone like Van Eyk would be acceptable as well. It would be less flashy and would be more of a Huntington type of move going for quantity over quality.