Tyler Thornburg traded to Boston for 3B Travis Shaw, SS Mauricio Dubon, RHP Josh Pennington, SS Yeison Coca

[homer]

Typical Stearns acquisition - lower rung, middle infielder with upside. Getting him before price gets jacked up. Like the fact that this kid can take a walk.

[brewmann04]

Nice Young addition to the possible Middle INF prospects pool

[Austin Tatious]

He totally fits the profile of what I was hoping for as a fourth piece in the deal. 18 years old and a twitchy middle infielder. He's skinny at 155 lb but, who knows, in four or five years he may be 185. He's a lottery ticket.

[JDBrewCrew]

Adam McCalvy‏Verified account @AdamMcCalvy 2m2 minutes ago

Swapped emails with our prospect gurus, who have Coca just outside Brewers Top 30. If/when prospects graduate from list, he's likely to join

[adambr2]

Adam McCalvy‏Verified account @AdamMcCalvy 2m2 minutes ago

Swapped emails with our prospect gurus, who have Coca just outside Brewers Top 30. If/when prospects graduate from list, he's likely to join

 

And that speaks more to the depth of our system than anything. Coca is probably a borderline top 20 in many systems.

[JDBrewCrew]

From Baseball America....

Yeison Coca, ss

Age: 18

Coca was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 and was lauded for his all-around tool package, including skills that will allow him to stay in the middle of the diamond for the long-term. Scouts who have seen him this year in extended spring training note that Coca has a plus arm and is a plus runner, both ingredients to keep him at shortstop as he develops. His bat speed is decent and he gets OK leverage, which should translate to a bit of power as he grows into his frame, and his nine triples last season tied him for second in the DSL. He’s a lottery ticket right now, but more like a scratch-off than a potential jackpot in the making.

[BuckyBrewer61]

Hard not to love this as a 4th player in this trade. He may very well end up being nothing, but he may develop into an MLB player and/or nice trade chip.

 

Love the way Stearns is building the farm system, and this is one of the many benefits. Less pressing need to go after "major league ready" talent with minimal upside, instead can afford the risk of buying low on young, higher-upside prospects. With a deep system including good talent at the top, he has the luxury of being patient and missing on some guys like this for the payoff of hitting on others.

[liveforoctober]

Give the kid Lara's spot tomorrow.

[jerichoholicninja]

I think if anything this trade continues to prove that Dembrowski doesn't give a crap about prospects and their system will be decimated in a few years as he continues to trade young guys for veterans.

[CheezWizHed]

Yeah, that ended up being a huge haul for Thornburg.

- Good starting 3B - fringe All-Star this year.

- Potential starting SS/2B close to being ready

- Injured SP that is a number of years from the MLB

- Their second best (third best with Dubon I'd assume) middle infielder

 

Right now, Shaw alone makes it a steal. Dubon is making it look like highway robbery. Anything out of the last two makes it a wow trade.

[igor67]

Aside from the apparent lopsidedness of the trade, the fact that it has something for everyone, the guy who can step in, a pitcher with upside and the young and younger middle IFer.

[adambr2]

Maybe Pennington will be the next Thornburg a few years from now and we can flip him back to Dembrowski for a similar haul.

[streetsahead]

Looks like he's going straight to arizona as well.

 

[LouisEly]

Yeah, that ended up being a huge haul for Thornburg.

- Good starting 3B - fringe All-Star this year.

- Potential starting SS/2B close to being ready

- Injured SP that is a number of years from the MLB

- Their second best (third best with Dubon I'd assume) middle infielder

 

Right now, Shaw alone makes it a steal. Dubon is making it look like highway robbery. Anything out of the last two makes it a wow trade.

And the cherry on that sundae is that all of the Negative Nellies who insisted the Brewers were getting $100 will be quiet for a while.

[MrTPlush]

Looks like he's going straight to arizona as well.

 

 

Would make sense. Did well in the DSL and Arizona would be that next step.

[Madhawk23]

Adam McCalvy‏Verified account @AdamMcCalvy 2m2 minutes ago

Swapped emails with our prospect gurus, who have Coca just outside Brewers Top 30. If/when prospects graduate from list, he's likely to join

 

And that speaks more to the depth of our system than anything. Coca is probably a borderline top 20 in many systems.

 

I heard a couple of Baseball America guys do a podcast this past offseason where they stated that some of the guys ranked 31-40 in our system might legitimately be ranked in the top 10 in some of the weaker systems in baseball. Speaks to just how much depth we currently have right now, and also confirms that Coca could very well be knocking on the door of the top 10-15 in many other systems around baseball. Not a bad "throw-in" player in what already looks like an amazing return for us in this Thornburg deal.

[NYChez]

It is an amazing trade for the Brewers, but keep in mind that with a healthy Thornburg instead of Feliz, the Brewers might be 5 games up in the Central. Highly effective relievers are valuable. A few years from now it might seem like a good idea for the Brewers to be on the other end of this type of trade.

[MrTPlush]

It is an amazing trade for the Brewers, but keep in mind that with a healthy Thornburg instead of Feliz, the Brewers might be 5 games up in the Central. Highly effective relievers are valuable. A few years from now it might seem like a good idea for the Brewers to be on the other end of this type of trade.

 

Yah this trade really wasn't that bad for the Red Sox at face value. Dubon was a solid prospect on the rise it seemed, Pennington was an injured pitcher, Coca is unknown/years away, and Shaw wasn't considered much of anything. Heck even the Brewers didn't think much of Shaw when they took him.

 

Give this trade some time and I doubt it looks like such highway robbery. Travis Shaw regresses and Thornburg returns to a close to elite reliever it will be a pretty fair trade.

 

I won't be sad if the Brewers make this type of trade down the line to bring in a legit reliever. Of course I hope that hypothetical guy doesn't get injured right away blaming what we do in spring training did it to him.

[jjfanec]

It is an amazing trade for the Brewers, but keep in mind that with a healthy Thornburg instead of Feliz, the Brewers might be 5 games up in the Central. Highly effective relievers are valuable. A few years from now it might seem like a good idea for the Brewers to be on the other end of this type of trade.

 

Yah this trade really wasn't that bad for the Red Sox at face value. Dubon was a solid prospect on the rise it seemed, Pennington was an injured pitcher, Coca is unknown/years away, and Shaw wasn't considered much of anything. Heck even the Brewers didn't think much of Shaw when they took him.

 

Give this trade some time and I doubt it looks like such highway robbery. Travis Shaw regresses and Thornburg returns to a close to elite reliever it will be a pretty fair trade.

 

I won't be sad if the Brewers make this type of trade down the line to bring in a legit reliever. Of course I hope that hypothetical guy doesn't get injured right away blaming what we do in spring training did it to him.

 

 

How do you know the Brewers didn't think much of Shaw? Was that reported somewhere? I easily could have missed it

 

Thorn burg was close to elite one season. So was that season the norm or an outlier. Relievers are nutoriously hit or miss so it is just as likely thorn burg becomes an average reliever as he becomes close to elite.

[rcc]

The Brewers thought highly of Shaw. They knew his left handed power and versatility would play well at Miller Park. Stearns has said so himself on a radio podcast.

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/milwaukee-brewers-gm-david-stearns-says-tyler-thornburg-healthy-when-traded-to-boston-red-sox?s_campaign=108stitches:newsletter

 

In case you missed it upthread.

 

Don't be so quick to assume anything you know nothing about.

[JosephC]

I get this impression of Cola from the Baseball America writeup in the Handbook (essential purchase for baseball fans).

 

hit for average = average

power = below average

field = average

arm = average

speed = ?

 

Sounds like his athleticism is probably his best asset. I don't always equate athleticism to speed because I've seen plenty quick, fluid and agile guys play shortstop and then turn out to be well below average runners when on the bases.

 

Agree with everyone above, Cola is much better than I was expecting. Looks like a long-shot but what else can be expected for the fourth piece in a trade for a reliever? Overall not great in any area but the flip side of that is he doesn't have one "skill set" that is so poor that it would deep-six his chances to be a major-leaguer.

[MrTPlush]

The Brewers thought highly of Shaw. They knew his left handed power and versatility would play well at Miller Park. Stearns has said so himself on a radio podcast.

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/milwaukee-brewers-gm-david-stearns-says-tyler-thornburg-healthy-when-traded-to-boston-red-sox?s_campaign=108stitches:newsletter

 

In case you missed it upthread.

 

Don't be so quick to assume anything you know nothing about.

 

Haha actually I didn't assume anything so calm down. First off nothing in that interview said they thought highly of him. It mentions a few things they liked about him. I remember earlier on it was mentioned the Brewers actually didn't even bring up Travis Shaw in trade talks it was the Boston Red Sox. It was also mentioned Travis Shaw wasn't the main piece in the deal it was Mauricio Dubon.

 

I am sure the Brewers liked him, but I don't think the Brewers could have ever imagined a guy on his way to a 3 WAR season. Sounded more like maybe he could be a starter if given the chance, but probably a versatile bench bat.

[jjfanec]

The Brewers thought highly of Shaw. They knew his left handed power and versatility would play well at Miller Park. Stearns has said so himself on a radio podcast.

 

http://www.csnne.com/boston-red-sox/milwaukee-brewers-gm-david-stearns-says-tyler-thornburg-healthy-when-traded-to-boston-red-sox?s_campaign=108stitches:newsletter

 

In case you missed it upthread.

 

Don't be so quick to assume anything you know nothing about.

 

Haha actually I didn't assume anything so calm down. First off nothing in that interview said they thought highly of him. It mentions a few things they liked about him. I remember earlier on it was mentioned the Brewers actually didn't even bring up Travis Shaw in trade talks it was the Boston Red Sox. It was also mentioned Travis Shaw wasn't the main piece in the deal it was Mauricio Dubon.

 

I am sure the Brewers liked him, but I don't think the Brewers could have ever imagined a guy on his way to a 3 WAR season. Sounded more like maybe he could be a starter if given the chance, but probably a versatile bench bat.

 

 

Then maybe you shouldn't have said the Brewers didn't think Shaw was much of anything. That is a ridiculous statement with no factual basis. The fact he wasn't the centerpiece means nothing. Hader and Santana weren't the centerpiece of the Gomez deal apparently. They are still pretty important parts. Cordell and Ortiz weren't the main piece of the Lucroy deal but they seem like solid prospects as well.

 

Saying the Brewers didn't think he would be a 3 war player and that they didn't think he would be much of anything are so far apart it is laughable

[MrTPlush]

Saying he wasn't the center piece was reference to his value being perceived less than that of Mauricio Dubon. Comparing Hader/Santana to Phillips(a #30ish) prospect at the time would be an inaccurate comparison.

[Jenkins5]

Travis Shaw was outstanding April and May 2016. His bat cooled as he fell into a slump in June. He improved for July but AB's really fell off July-October. August on out, terrible. Like many 1st year players getting first real taste of MLB, it can be hard to break out of those slumps. Then mix in losing AB's...tough. It was nice to see him hit that real rough patch earlier and storm right back from it.

 

Nonetheless, he flashed well enough for the Brewers to believe their might be something there. From Day 1, Brewers had him down as starting 3B. Hard to think they didn't feel he could be the guy he was at the start of 2016.

 

Love the Coco pick up! What a strong trade! Young, athletic, switch hitting, middle infielder, who has had a little success already. Hit for average (.308), had 29 walks, and hit 9 triples in little less than 300 PA's at 17! May never make it but can't complain about adding a young kid like that to the system!