Lucroy and Jeffress to the Rangers for CF Lewis Brinson, RHP Luis Ortiz, PTBNL…(Lucroy comments, post 523; PTBNL is Ryan Cordell, post 581)

[wildcat2237]

Our top prospects have been updated on mlb.com

 

So 3 of our top 6 are the new guys. Very good work.

 

Though I have no idea how Corey Ray is our third best.

 

You know your system is okay when Woodruff and Tyrone Taylor are your #25 and #26 prospects.

[Mr Southpaw]

I hope Brinson can improve on that .237 batting average and .280 on base percentage at AA for a 22 year old. #21 in the Top 100 am I missing something?

[homer]

I hope Brinson can improve on that .237 batting average and .280 on base percentage at AA for a 22 year old. #21 in the Top 100 am I missing something?

 

 

He's been hurt apparently.

[reillymcshane]

For me, the main thing is that the deal is done and we can move forward with building a winning franchise. I'm sure many feel like we should have gotten more, but what we got is what we got - nothing we can do to change that.

 

The three new guys we got today represent a big infusion of higher upside talent. I like that a lot.

 

All three of the guys we gave up are very good players, and I wish them luck, but they just aren't what we need at this moment. I'm looking forward to seeing the young guys develop, and hopefully be big parts of the Brewers future.

[FVBrewerFan]

I hope Brinson can improve on that .237 batting average and .280 on base percentage at AA for a 22 year old. #21 in the Top 100 am I missing something?

 

Yes, both his past and his future.

[markedman5]

#Brewers GM David Stearns said on @620wtmj that parameters were established to allow them to scout Texas prospects and make PTBN selection.

[reillymcshane]

I hope Brinson can improve on that .237 batting average and .280 on base percentage at AA for a 22 year old. #21 in the Top 100 am I missing something?

I'd look at 2015 and you can see why he's so highly rated. Between A/AA, Brinson put up a 1.004 OPS. Now, a lot of that was at A+ High Desert, which is a hitter's paradise. Still, his .337 BA was 2nd in the league. He then went to AA for 110 ABs and put up an .873 OPS. He topped it off by going 13 of 30 in a short stint at AAA (.433 BA). All in all, he had 59 extra base hits on only 398 ABs - 20 HR, 31 doubles and 8 triples. Again, some of that can be attributed to the hitting environment at High Desert - but he still produced at every step.

 

You're talking about a guy with oodles of talent, but very raw.

 

He's had some hamstring issues this year as well as a strained shoulder, so that's probably contributed to this year's struggles. He's a guy that's been nicked up a lot, so it's something to watch.

[Warning Track Power]

#Brewers GM David Stearns said on @620wtmj that parameters were established to allow them to scout Texas prospects and make PTBN selection.

#joeygallo

[proudsoftballdad]

I think the PTBNL is just the Brewers pick from a list because they ran out of time to submit the trade. The Brewers get the perk of having a few more months to evaluate the players on the list.

NM dp

[Mr Southpaw]

I hope Brinson can improve on that .237 batting average and .280 on base percentage at AA for a 22 year old. #21 in the Top 100 am I missing something?

 

Yes, both his past and his future.

 

His past is ok, there are no stats on his future.

[FVBrewerFan]

By the way, our Mid-season top 25 is now open. Be the first to throw yours out there.

[JosephC]

I wonder if the target of the PTBNL business is RHP-Pedro Payano? He's DL'ed and Eye Black dug up some information which indicates that the injury wouldn't be a long-term concern, but Stearns may have wanted to play it safe and see this player back on the mound before including him in the deal.

[reillymcshane]

Nice write up on Brinson and Ortiz at Fangraphs.com.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/scouting-lewis-brinson-and-luis-ortiz/

 

The author goes into depth about Brinson's struggles this year, which is interesting.

[Warning Track Power]

I remain hopeful that it is Michael Matuella

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

 

A candidate for the first pick in the 2015 Draft, Matuella saw that dream end when he had Tommy John surgery that April. Though he dropped to the third round, the Rangers paid him $2 million, the equivalent of first-round money. They hoped to have him work 100 innings in his first pro season, but his elbow began bothering him after his initial three-inning outing and they shut him down again.

 

When he was healthy at Duke, Matuella looked like a No. 1 starter. He sat at 93-97 mph with running life on his fastball and had a pair of swing-and-miss breaking balls in his curveball and slider. He also showed feel for a changeup and found the strike zone with ease.

 

Matuella's 6-foot-6 frame creates angle and plane on his pitches that makes them more difficult to hit. He has No. 1 starter upside but has a long way to go to prove he can hold up physically after working just 145 2/3 innings (including summer ball) in three years of college. In addition to his elbow reconstruction, he also has spondylolysis, a manageable defect of the vertebrae in the lower back.

[markedman5]

Puig just got sent to Triple A.....

[ctmyers]

Matuella has been shut down for the year with elbow pain. He could be a fallback option, but there won't be any additional scouting on him until next year.

[Funketown]

One complaint is that they traded for a guy (Luis Ortiz) that has three like-named players in MiLB, which makes it irritating to search for him. Thanks, notMelvinGM.

 

One thing that stands out to me is his BB rate; in about 120 innings between A and AA over the last two seasons, he's walked just about 1.75 per nine innings. That seems pretty stingy for a 20 year old.

 

You know, we tend to be pretty critical of trades 'round these parts, but it seems like most of the neutral observers think the Brewers did fine in this deal. Combine this deal with the Smith-Bickford deal and I think Stearns handled his first deadline quite well.

[TooLiveBrew]

I added the corresponding article in the Bickford/Susac thread... here is Minor League Ball's reaction to this trade.

 

Brinson is having a down year — especially after he exploded in his brief Triple-A debut last year — by his standards, but there is simply no denying the natural tools and skill set the 22-year old brings to the table. The only problem was that he was very raw when he came to the pros. He has since seemed to have worked out the swing mechanics that plagued him early on and is learning how to be a well-rounded outfielder, not reliant upon his speed to make up for mistakes.

 

...

 

Brinson plays well enough in centerfield that he should stick there, especially with plus speed and an above average arm. If he can avoid the nagging leg injuries that have slowed him down and continue to refine his swing, the Brewers have acquired themselves an All Star.

 

Ortiz’s calling card [has been] good command behind an arsenal that he can maintain the velocity and action of well into his starts. He has a mid-90s fastball and a slider that comes across in the 80s that most feel are ready for prime time. His command and control are impeccable. The two questions surrounding Ortiz are the development of other secondary offerings and his stamina. He is currently at his career high in innings pitched at 67.1. A history of arm injuries and the lack of that 100 inning season are certainly concerns, but his stuff is undeniable.

[Noche]

I am one that loved the Cleveland package. All of it. Meija is well on his way to top 25 status or higher. The Texas package is at least as good. Brinson projects as a 2-3 win player even if he doesn't hit .250. I bet he tops out with a couple 5-6 win seasons which would be all star worthy.

 

Texas had plenty of projectable teenage arms to dream on but Ortiz is only 20 and has great stuff now. I love that his change up is well regarded. I think he is a #2 but he could tick up some still if he transforms his body a little bit.

 

I am pretty confident we can mine a gem with the PTBNL. Someone with some major league qualities.

 

I really hate to see Jeffress go. He was all in on Milwaukee and he was good.

[rickh150]

Seems like we should have gotten more.... Even those here that praise the deal wanted WAY more than this and have posted wish lists that included WAY more for JUST Lucroy. For whatever reason, some refuse to be critical of DS even in the slightest. Uh.... it's ok to be underwhelmed here a bit and still like DS and the direction of the team.

 

Also, it seems like we were dealing from a place of disadvantage because Texas, along with everyone else in the baseball world, figured Lucroy was being dealt because of the debacle yesterday. Lucroy wasn't even with the team today.... Talk about showing your hand.

 

It's very difficult to be excited about a fat AA pitcher in the 4's ERA and a somewhat injure prone AA .240 hitter who strikes out. We are banking on a lot of things to go right to justify giving up a 31 year leader, All star catcher, and our closer who could have been an Allstar this year, who has 3 and a half years of control left. To me, the Indians deal was a little better. These two top 100 players we received also appear to be trending down with so so years.

 

I really like the Smith trade.... Can't say the same here. One of the two really, really have to perform well (All Star) to make this trade a good one. Let's hope one does....

[homer]

 

Lucroy wasn't even with the team today.... Talk about showing your hand.

 

You're the second person to post this and I literally have no idea what you're talking about.

[adambr2]

And after the Will Smith trade...Stearns gets taken to the cleaners. How the Heck do you trade BOTH Lucroy and Jeffress and not get Gallo included too?? If Stearns had a chance to take him...but another lessor prospect..well...Break this down individually...Will Smith ALONE brought back SF's #1 organizational prospect, PLUS a Catcher..said prospect is rated #63. Now, going one for one..Jeremy Jeffress brought you Ortiz..the #65 prospect. So, all you got for Lucroy was the #21 prospect?? You traded an All Star Catcher for an OFer...Tradfng both of these guys should have been these two PLUS Gallo. Stearns panicked. I'm not sure this is even better than cleveland's deal when you figure the Brewers were getting that for Lucroy alone..Loved the Smith deal..he gets an "A" from me on that one..but sorry to say, he gets an "F", on this one..that isn't NEARLY enough value for an all star Catcher and a bullpen arm under team control till 2020. he had plenty of time to trade Jeffress in the upcoming years. Overall grade for the two trades today... D

 

*facepalm*

[JosephC]

 

It's very difficult to be excited about a fat AA pitcher in the 4's ERA

 

ERA may not be great but peripherals are solid. Nearly a 5:1 K:BB ratio for a 20 year old in AA. Only 3 HR's allowed in nearly 40 innings. Would love to see what the BABIP number is, bet it's pretty high based on the pitching line.

[adambr2]

 

Lucroy wasn't even with the team today.... Talk about showing your hand.

 

You're the second person to post this and I literally have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Right. Even if we had sent Lucroy to San Diego, it's entirely possible that someone within the Rangers front office may have had Internet access and been able to connect to Twitter and discover that we were still in fact interested in trading Lucroy.

[foamboy1]

Our top prospects have been updated on mlb.com

 

So 3 of our top 6 are the new guys. Very good work.

 

Though I have no idea how Corey Ray is our third best.

What is awesome is how quickly the system has been rebuilt. Looking at the Top 10 and when they were acquired:

 

1. Arcia: 2010 (#13 in MLB)

2. Brinson: 2016 (#21)

3. Ray: 2016 (#35)

4. Hader: 2015 (#43)

5. Ortiz: 2016 (#63)

6. Bickford: 2016 (#65)

7. Clark: 2015 (#74)

8. Phillips: 2015 (#76)

9. Lara: 2014

10. Diaz: 2016

 

We all know these lists are fluid, Lopez for example is no longer a top 100 prospect, but man that is cool.

 

Total indictment of the horrid drafting and acquisition of the prior 7 years.