Khris Davis to the A's for C Jacob Nottingham and RHP Bubba Derby; Latest: Sean Nolin claimed from A's, too

[Jirsch]

MLB.com has Nottingham slotted at #15 on the Prospect list. And I also think Braun goes back to LF with Santana sliding to RF.

[TooLiveBrew]

Interesting deal. Seems like Nottingham is a good centerpiece for a good big-leaguer that has his warts in Khrush. I especially like the way Sickels concludes his writeup on Nottingham on the A's 2016 list:

 

Another power masher who makes better contact than many young sluggers. Receiving needs work, gives up too many passed balls but arm is solid and he threw out 38% of runners on the season. Bat looks real to me and there’s hope for the glove.

[Eye Black]

Reason to be optimistic about both prospects acquired here. A couple of snippets taken from parts of the Baseball America player bios/notes on both...

 

Jacob Nottingham (ranked as A's #11 prospect) - this ranking seems similar to BA not ranking Josh Hader in the Brewers top ten when pretty much everyone else has.

 

...Nottingham's an imposing figure in the batter's box with a quick bat and plus raw power....He gets caught up at times in trying to hit balls out and will start trying to pull everything, but he shows a feel for using the whole field and hitting with two strikes when he's going well....His defense is further behind although the A's were encouraged by his progress in the instructional league....He has good hands and a solid arm, and threw out 38 percent of baserunners in 2015...

 

Bubba Derby (ranked as A's #12 prospect)

 

...San Diego State recruited Derby as a two-way player, but his career quickly took off on the mound....an all-Mountain West Conference performer all three years he was there, serving as the Aztecs closer as a Freshman and later their Friday ace....Derby is often compared to Sonny Gray, another undersized college righthander....Derby doesn't have Gray's stuff, but does have similar athleticism and the ability to get the most out of his frame....plenty of run on his 90-92 mph fastball and can bump 94....hard slider looked like his best secondary pitch in the spring, but the A's were more enamored with his changeup, giving it above average grades, and he can spin a curveball as well....has a tendency to get ahead of hitters and then start nibbling...

[SRB]

So if he's between 3 & 5 in the A's system where does that put him in the Brewers? Brewers must have better depth. Somewhere between 7-10?

 

It seems opinions differ. John Sickels rated Nottingham a B+/B prospect, which would place him #5 in the Brewers system. Baseball Prospectus rated Nottingham #66 in their Top 101, which would place him #3 in the Brewers system. Baseball America was much lower on him than anyone else and had him #11 in a slightly-lower-ranked Athletics system, so presumably he would be in the mid-teens in the Brewers system. The MLB.com Pipeline ranking (#16 in the system or whatever) is irrelevant because they haven't updated those yet, and Nottingham had a huge breakout 2015.

 

If you're confident that he can stick at catcher (which Stearns & co. presumably are), then it seems like top-5 in the system is about right.

[1992casey]

"Bubba Derby." Incredible.

Between Bubba Derby, Damien Magnifico, and Brett Maverick, the Brewers have some of the best names in baseball.

[JohnBriggs12]

This trade could be very good or it could blow up in Stearns face. Is Santana an everyday corner OF? I have serious doubts. Nottingham has a good bat but Clint Coulter like pass ball numbers. Davis could end up being a 40 HR guy and if he does the return could end up looking rather meager. It's going to take a few years but if Michael Reed is in Milwaukee and Santana is back in AAA, people will start wondering.

[SRB]

This trade could be very good or it could blow up in Stearns face. Is Santana an everyday corner OF? I have serious doubts. Nottingham has a good bat but Clint Coulter like pass ball numbers. Davis could end up being a 40 HR guy and if he does the return could end up looking rather meager. It's going to take a few years but if Michael Reed is in Milwaukee and Santana is back in AAA, people will start wondering.

 

I don't think this can really blow up in Stearns's face. Khris Davis is at his best a solid league-average corner OF. There is no ceiling left there, and anyways we are rebuilding.

[splitterpfj]

This trade fits the recent pattern, for sure, there's just no reason not to do it.

 

We all know some of these kids will not pan out, but loading up on young talent is absolutely the answer, and the team is undoubtedly doing that. Take a look at this, 13 of the top 30 have come from the Gallardo trade forward, and that does not include Santana, the pitcher obtained in the Jason Rogers deal, or any of the three pitchers obtained for Adam Lind. Oh, and the Brewers will pick 5th in the draft this year.

 

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=mil

 

This, friends, is what we like to call, a "rebuild."

[StearnsFTW]

I think I'm in love with David Stearns.

 

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[3and2Fastball]

"Bubba Derby." Incredible.

 

I know, right!!!? If he ends up being even halfway decent, the fans at Miller Park will love him based on name alone

[TooLiveBrew]

I think I'm in love with David Stearns.

 

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Ha! That episode was just on last night.

 

And I'm more & more in agreement on Stearns.

[3and2Fastball]

I like this trade. Nottingham is intriguing. There is a shortage of top flight catchers in MLB these days. There are a few strong catching prospects in the 2016 draft, but they are presumably much further away from the show than Nottingham would be. This trade allows the Brewers to have more flexibility in the first few rounds of the draft, allows them to see what they have in Santana fulltime in his natural position, and adds to the pitching depth in the minors, on top of obviously bringing in Nottingham as a catching prospect.

[Eye Black]

I am sure this has been mentioned here already, but there has been an internal connection to both of the past two centerpiece prospects the Brewers have acquired. Isan Diaz was drafted by Ray Montgomery in 2014 and now they get a guy in Jacob Nottingham whom David Stearns knows very well since Jacob was in the Astros system just over six months ago. I like that they have familiarity with these players which tells me they have very good information on these players and are now going out and trading them.

[AKCheesehead]

"Bubba Derby." Incredible.

 

I know, right!!!? If he ends up being even halfway decent, the fans at Miller Park will love him based on name alone

 

And of course, the obvious other possible direction....If he goes out and gets rocked, fans can call him Home Run Derby.

[StearnsFTW]

The dearth of catching prospects right now is really important imo. He may not stick there, but if he does........yowza.

 

There's only one catcher in the top 50 BBA prospects and he's at 42.

 

Love this trade. Swinging for the fences for a guy that I really don't think is helpful to us in any way.

[billymac]

I can not wait to see the return that Stearns is asking for with Lucroy if he's gotten some of these prospects already

[splitterpfj]

Bubba Derby's legal name is Bowdien Derby - I'm not sure which name I like best.

 

Might this be the next poll question?

[BrewCrewForever]

David Stearns you sly dog you. Man I love this deal, although I will miss Khrush Davis. But I knew he would be gone at some point. Really hope Nottingham can pick it up on defense and stay behind the plate. We have the future after Lucroy is dealt.

[brewcrewdue80]

I feel like a poster proposed Nottingham in a deal.

Count me as happy to see Davis removed. Having acquired Liriano+OFs made him excess weight to be removed. Santana will still have to play well to earn his Starts. The Brewers get their catching prospect vs drafting which I'm in favor of waiting on and avoiding.

 

When is the last season Oak didn't trade a Catcher?

[superfly]

"Bubba Derby." Incredible.

Between Bubba Derby, Damien Magnifico, and Brett Maverick, the Brewers have some of the best names in baseball.

 

 

Oakland didn't even deal their best names. Skye Bolt and Dustin Hurlbutt. Honest to God.

[superfly]

This trade could be very good or it could blow up in Stearns face. Is Santana an everyday corner OF? I have serious doubts. Nottingham has a good bat but Clint Coulter like pass ball numbers. Davis could end up being a 40 HR guy and if he does the return could end up looking rather meager. It's going to take a few years but if Michael Reed is in Milwaukee and Santana is back in AAA, people will start wondering.

 

Blow up in his face? You just cannot say anything good about a move Stearns makes can you...what do you feel would be better. Competing for a 81-81 record this year?

[brewerfan82]

Is anyone keeping a running list of the players Stearns has acquired?

 

I just took a stab at it! I started at last year's trade deadline though and included ages and MLB Pipeline prospect rankings for MLB, position, and with the Brewers.

 

http://i.imgur.com/vVuBFWB.gif

[StearnsFTW]

Bubba Derby's legal name is Bowdien Derby - I'm not sure which name I like best.

 

Might this be the next poll question?

 

Can I call him Jethro?

[jjfanec]

This trade could be very good or it could blow up in Stearns face. Is Santana an everyday corner OF? I have serious doubts. Nottingham has a good bat but Clint Coulter like pass ball numbers. Davis could end up being a 40 HR guy and if he does the return could end up looking rather meager. It's going to take a few years but if Michael Reed is in Milwaukee and Santana is back in AAA, people will start wondering.

 

Blow up in his face? You just cannot say anything good about a move Stearns makes can you...what do you feel would be better. Competing for a 81-81 record this year?

 

81-81 would be stellar for the roster that Stearns inherited. Some fans wont have the stomach for a rebuild but so far Stearns is doing a great job. Davis is the exact guy you trade. He is already 28 and is arby eligible starting next year. He is limited to DH unless you want to take a huge hit defensively. And at the same time he is a nice pieve to trade for if you are Oakland because he will hit and hit fairly well.

[reillymcshane]

So if he's between 3 & 5 in the A's system where does that put him in the Brewers? Brewers must have better depth. Somewhere between 7-10?

 

It seems opinions differ. John Sickels rated Nottingham a B+/B prospect, which would place him #5 in the Brewers system. Baseball Prospectus rated Nottingham #66 in their Top 101, which would place him #3 in the Brewers system. Baseball America was much lower on him than anyone else and had him #11 in a slightly-lower-ranked Athletics system, so presumably he would be in the mid-teens in the Brewers system. The MLB.com Pipeline ranking (#16 in the system or whatever) is irrelevant because they haven't updated those yet, and Nottingham had a huge breakout 2015.

 

If you're confident that he can stick at catcher (which Stearns & co. presumably are), then it seems like top-5 in the system is about right.

 

Pipeline was updated a couple of weeks ago:

 

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2016

 

NOttingham is not on the top 100 list. He is listed as the #8 catcher.

 

BA Top 100 just came out. Nottingham isn't a top 100 guy for them.