Marte to Arizona, Prospects to Pirates

[JDBrewCrew]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

Outfielder Starling Marte has been traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Arizona Diamondbacks, sources tell ESPN.

 

 

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

1m

Source confirms: #DBacks acquiring Starling Marte from #Pirates. Return is two prospects, names to come. On this:

@JonHeyman, @JeffPassan, @ByRobertMurray

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm going to guess Daulton Varsho and Jon Duplantier going back to the Pirates. Kevin Cron seems like a Pirates type as well, at least to me.

[RollieTime]

Marte has one year and $11.5 million left on his contract with a club option for $12.5 million in 2021. It’ll end up being 2/$24 million.

 

The Diamondbacks are a prime example of retooling and selling certain guys to remain competitive. Remember that they also had 5 or 6 draft picks in the top 90 picks or so in I believe the 2019 draft? They have been run extremely well the last few seasons.

 

The selling of Greinke and Goldschmidt were brilliant moves that paid off big time for their future. It gave them the resources to go out and get a nice bat in Marte for a couple years while they are competing.

[JDBrewCrew]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

·

1m

The two prospects going back to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Starling Marte trade are young and have high ceilings, sources tell ESPN, but that can be said about a lot of Arizona's farm system, which may be the deepest and best in baseball behind San Diego and Tampa Bay's.

 

 

Robert Murray

@ByRobertMurray

·

1m

Sources: #DBacks in agreement to acquire Starling Marte from #Pirates for Liover Peguero and another prospect.

 

Liover Peguero | Rank: 18 (Preseason: NR)

Team: Hillsboro Hops (A Short) ETA: 2022

Position: SS Age: 19 DOB: 12/31/2000

Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6' 1" Weight: 160 lb.

Signed: July 2, 2017 - ARI

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45

Signed for $475,000 out of the Dominican Republic at the outset of the 2017 international signing period, Peguero made his pro debut the following year, beginning in the Dominican Summer League before shifting stateside and finishing the season as a 17-year-old in the Arizona League. Challenged with an assignment to the Pioneer League in 2019, Peguero established himself as yet another promising, up-and-coming prospect in Arizona's system, showing advanced hitting ability and a mature approach while also holding his own defensively at shortstop.

 

Peguero has the chance to be a special hitter. He has an impactful swing from the right side of the plate, with plus bat speed that enables him to smash good velocity and make consistent barreled contact, and it's easy to envision him developing some game power as he adds strength to his projectable frame. He has an advanced approach for a teenager and already shows the ability to recognize spin and control the strike zone, with his plus speed that aids him on both sides of the ball.

 

A pure shortstop in the eyes of the D-backs, Peguero has already made huge strides defensively and has the actions, hands and arm strength needed to stick at the position long term. While his remaining physical projection could lead to a move off of the position down the road, Peguero's bat could enable him to profile at a host of positions on the diamond. For now, though, he'll be given every opportunity to stick up the middle.

 

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

34s

Hearing Brennan Malone is going to Pirates in Marte deal. First round pick last year (33rd overall).

 

Brennan Malone | Rank: 9 (Preseason: NR)

Team: Hillsboro Hops (A Short) ETA: 2023

Position: RHP Age: 19 DOB: 09/08/2000

Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6' 4" Weight: 205 lb.

Drafted: 2019, 1C (33) - ARI

 

WATCH

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

 

Malone was an exciting, if a bit enigmatic, high school right-hander on the showcase circuit over the summer, one who showed glimpses of plus stuff and athleticism while struggling with consistency and command at times. As the spring wore on, Malone was trending upward, with an impressive complete-game shutout for IMG Academy in front of a lot of scouts at USA Baseball's National High School Invitational in early April really helping his stock.

 

The North Carolina native who moved to IMG for his senior year of high school has the makings of four solid pitches and improved consistency in using them throughout a start. He regularly runs his fastball up to 96 mph and has shown an ability to maintain that velocity deeper into starts this spring. He now features two distinct breaking pitches, with a plus slider a big reason for his step forward. It's a true out pitch and it's better than his average curve, which is a bigger 11-to-5 breaker when he maintains his high three-quarter arm slot. He has feel for his changeup, though he can slow his arm a bit on it at times.

 

After starting the spring looking like the thrower he was over the summer, he's made strides toward being a more complete pitcher with improved command. Given his athleticism and easy arm action, it's easy to see him as a future right-handed power starting pitcher.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

19-year old RHP Brennan Malone is the other piece. 33rd overall pick in last year's draft, and the D-Backs' 9th ranked prospect (and they have a stacked system). Brewers equivalent would probably be Ethan Small/Antoine Kelly and Eduardo Garcia. This is a pretty good haul for the Pirates.

[KeithStone53151]

With this trade, the Pirates also pretty much cement themselves in the top 5 picks for the 2021 draft. That was already more likely than not, but seriously this team is going to be bad. How long until they trade Josh Bell and go for a record low in wins?

[long ball]

I'm not too upset about seeing him traded out of the division. He seems to have mashed Hader in the past to it will be nice to not have to face him as often.

[JosephC]

Initially, I thought this was a terrible deal for Pittsburgh. However, Marte's DRS dropped from +1 in 2018 to -9 in 2019 and his UZR/150 dropped from 4.4 to -8.3. Could be a pretty solid indicator of an age decline (2020 will be his age 31 season). I'm figuring Marte would need to be good for 4.5 WAR total over the next two years. He was a 3 WAR player last year so if he maintains that then this is a real good deal for the Diamondbacks, but if he slips it will probably wind up being a pretty even trade.