Will a Trade w/Braves Be Announced Today? -- Brewers acquire CF Kyle Wren from ATL for RHP Zach Quintana (post #45)

[Invader3K]

Already sounds like the Brewers got the better end of this deal. Wren has to develop his hit tool to be much at the MLB level though.

 

I wonder if this could make the Brewers more inclined to deal Gomez if the right trade comes along. They actually have a bit of depth at the CF position now.

[JohnBriggs12]

Looks like Logan Schafer 2.0.

With less power. Not sure about the defense.

 

Statistically, looks more similar to former Brewer farmhand Lee Haydel. Lots of stolen bases and very little power. Assist total, 5 in 180 games, does not speak well for his arm. Still he moved up quickly to AA in just his second pro year and he can get on base pretty well and he did have 8 triples last year. With Taylor figuring to be in AA, wonder where he'll start out?

[JohnBriggs12]

Already sounds like the Brewers got the better end of this deal. Wren has to develop his hit tool to be much at the MLB level though.

 

I wonder if this could make the Brewers more inclined to deal Gomez if the right trade comes along. They actually have a bit of depth at the CF position now.

 

I don't think so. I doubt Wren projects as a starting major league CF and I don't think he displaces Taylor as the logical successor to Gomez in 2017. Just gives them some added speed in the high minors that could be useful in a year or two off the major league bench. Schafer's running low on options and he won't be able to be shuttled back and forth much longer.

[colbyjack]

Nice pickup. The Braves were clearly looking to move him after firing his father from the GM role. He seems to be a pretty safe bet to make the big leagues, even if his ceiling is as a 4th OF. Good on-base skills, some speed and a contact-oriented bat. While Quintana may have the higher upside, he clearly is much farther away from sniffing the big leagues, making this a fairly safe trade. Obviously not a blockbuster, but a nice little, astute deal for the Brewers.

[pacopete4]

Schafer's running low on options and he won't be able to be shuttled back and forth much longer.

 

 

This. This is something to be thankful for.

[JohnBriggs12]

Schafer's running low on options and he won't be able to be shuttled back and forth much longer.

 

 

This. This is something to be thankful for.

 

It's a tough role. Schafer's never played enough to get in any kind of groove. His BABIP of .254 suggests some bad luck.

[pogokat]

or that all of his balls in play are very weakly hit grounders and popups

[Mass Haas]

Good article from June --

 

Kyle Wren strives to leave a lasting image on the baseball field

[3and2Fastball]

A good solid pickup. Wren is just 23 and has hit at every level so far. Would like to see him increase his walk rate even more (.362 career OBP in the minors so far) as he stole 46 bases last year

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=wren--000kyl

[Mass Haas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WqvRq_-hgU#t=16

 

***

 

Baseball America Trade Central Write-Up

[monty57]

With Taylor figuring to be in AA, wonder where he'll start out?

 

From the Baseball America article Mass Haas linked to:

 

"He profiles as a solid fourth outfielder who could make his major league debut in 2015."

 

It's early, but I would guess he'll start in AAA with Parra and Schafer on the MLB roster. He will debut if/when the Brewers have an injury in the OF, and could step into the 4th OF role full-time when Parra leaves after the 2015 season.

[Mass Haas]

MLB Pipeline places Wren 12th on Brewers prospect list- unlikely Quintana was going to smell the list any time

[Mass Haas]

Braves deal prospect Wren to Crew for righty Quintana

Atlanta looks to boost pitching depth; Milwaukee gains speedy outfielder

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com

 

Fall League video interview with Kyle Wren at link...

[Mass Haas]

Braves deal prospect Wren to Crew for righty Quintana

Atlanta looks to boost pitching depth; Milwaukee gains speedy outfielder

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com

 

Fall League video interview with Kyle Wren at link...

 

Same video but Brewers' side of the story via Adam McCalvy.

[jwill535]

I see him as a Peter Bourgious type player. More of a pinch runner, defensive specialist. Or on the other hand, he is Aoki with better speed.

[SRB]

Except he doesn't. And the fact that his K rate against left handed major league pitcher is 18.5% is really worrisome. His BABIP will fall to a sustainable .300 or so and then you have a .216/.300/.316 hitter versus left handed pitching. Yes he's better than Gennett versus left handed but that doesn't mean he should be a target.

 

[sarcasm]Fair enough, enjoy Hector Gomez starting at 2B for 1/3 of the season.[/sarcasm]

[DHonks]

comparing him to Schafer might be unfair to Wren. Logan really had what, 1 good year in the minors? He was promoted based on skills and talent rather than on performance. I could still see him being a solid 4th OF

[paul253]

This trade was a steal. Even if Wren only ends up being a 4th outfielder Quintana likely wouldn't ever have made it above AA in Milwaukee's system. From what I've read his defense is already MLB ready and he steals a decent number of bases at a pretty good percentage. His BA and OBP have been solid in his two minor league seasons as well. Great move to obtain a organizational top 15 prospect for essentially nothing. Although it does highlight yet another top 5 round draft bust by Milwaukee.

[RobertR]

I'm all for adding depth and competition for a spot on the roster. Especially considering what a disaster Schafer was offensively this year. Improving the bottom of the roster is absolutely something that this team should be doing, especially if you can do it with young, cheap players.

[KCBrewerfan34]

Why did the Braves make this trade?

[sauveb]

Why did the Braves make this trade?

After firing Wren's father and uncle this off-season they felt it was best for everyone involved to trade him.

[Mass Haas]

Somebody from the Brewers was smart enough to reach out to the Braves when they realized Atlanta likely wanted to complete the "Wren family" organizational purge.

 

Gord Ash was quoted earlier as saying that they tossed five or six names back and forth with the Braves before the parties settled on Quintana.

 

Couldn't the Braves have netted something more by advertising Wren's availability to other organizations? Instead, they seemingly stuck with their sole conversation with the Brewers, which seems quite refreshing, actually, honoring Milwaukee's initial push for the player.

 

At least, how it seems to me.

[SRB]

Somebody from the Brewers was smart enough to reach out to the Braves when they realized Atlanta likely wanted to complete the "Wren family" organizational purge.

 

Gord Ash was quoted earlier as saying that they tossed five or six names back and forth with the Braves before the parties settled on Quintana.

 

Couldn't the Braves have netted something more by advertising Wren's availability to other organizations? Instead, they seemingly stuck with their sole conversation with the Brewers, which seems quite refreshing, actually, honoring Milwaukee's initial push for the player.

 

At least, how it seems to me.

 

Seems like Quintana is the kind of player where some organizations might just really like him as a flier with upside. Maybe they think they can fix him.

[brewcrewdue80]

Somebody from the Brewers was smart enough to reach out to the Braves when they realized Atlanta likely wanted to complete the "Wren family" organizational purge.

 

Gord Ash was quoted earlier as saying that they tossed five or six names back and forth with the Braves before the parties settled on Quintana.

 

Couldn't the Braves have netted something more by advertising Wren's availability to other organizations? Instead, they seemingly stuck with their sole conversation with the Brewers, which seems quite refreshing, actually, honoring Milwaukee's initial push for the player.

 

At least, how it seems to me.

 

Seems like Quintana is the kind of player where some organizations might just really like him as a flier with upside. Maybe they think they can fix him.

 

I think I read a BA article after this trade and what was said was Wren impressed the Brewers Scouts/brass when playing against Huntsville this year.

So maybe Quintana impressed a single Braves Scout to suggest he has every bit of a chance to come out to Wren's value or higher.

 

As to why not make it known he's available? Maybe they did. How would you feel as a Braves fan though if you made that public you're looking to trade Wren's son? This seems more like a downlow move. Maybe it came up with discussions of another trade? A Lohse or Gallardo trade and Wren was named as a player they want to move in such a deal. Remember, news broke of Quintana being traded but not for whom immediately. So again downlow it becomes the PTBNL Wren.

[WV Brew]

comparing him to Schafer might be unfair to Wren. Logan really had what, 1 good year in the minors? He was promoted based on skills and talent rather than on performance. I could still see him being a solid 4th OF

 

Gotta call you out on this one DHonks. Schafer: .292/.354/.433

Wren: .304/.362/.398

 

Schafer's numbers in the minors were fine. While Wren has had slightly better OBP, it comes at the expense of power. If the Brewers consistently had players who could put up the numbers Schafer has in the numbers I might agree with you but they haven't. Maybe he is what we've seen in Milwaukee but I suspect it has more to do with the way Roenicke has used (not) him.