Mets & Rays
Submitted by: Hwmorajr
Mets
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yandy Diaz | 34 | Majors | 1B | Medium | 2 | 37.4 | 26 | 11.4 | 9.1 | 11.4 | 13.7 | |
| Ryan Pepiot | 28 | Majors | SP | LRP | Medium | 3 | 43.5 | 18.5 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 30.1 |
Total Value:
36.4
Rays
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Vientos | 26 | Majors | 3B | DH | Medium | 4 | 48.2 | 27.7 | 20.5 | 16.4 | 20.5 | 24.6 |
| Nick Morabito | 23 | Minors | OF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.2 | 5 | 6.2 | 7.5 | ||
| Brandon Sproat | 25 | Majors | SP | 6 | 53.8 | 31.2 | 22.6 | 18.1 | 22.6 | 27.2 | ||
| Zach Thornton | 24 | Minors | SP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.2 |
Total Value:
51.1
Comments
5
This trade doesn’t have the right prospects for TBR to pull the trigger. Vientos is overvalued based on one good season and would only play with the Rays against LHP. A swap of Sproat and Pep might make sense with where both teams currently are in the competitive cycle but the Rays have so much top pitching in AAA next year that I can safely say a bat would be preferred over an arm for Pepiot. I’m not a Morabito fan, but Thornton is fine. Of course, this trade has enough excess value to offset Vientos’ overvaluation, so maybe it works for the Rays. I would insist on Williams or Benge though.
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Benge would be an overpay. Plus currently plays a premium position which the Mets need right now. It wouldn’t make sense to trade him unless they are getting a front end SP. Williams can be an option but I think that would lessen the package in this trade package. A top 50 prospect with 6 or 7 years of control who also plays a premium position. Which to me makes more sense of a package of Vientos. Who had a great august of 25’ but needs consistent playing time. Sproat has a higher floor than any other pitcher besides McLean. Morabito is a good defender and has ++ speed. Thornton higher upside SP in their system. The sure quantity of players in this move could help them in 26’. Vientos could rebuild his value and 12 months from now be a trade chip for the Rays.
I can’t argue your logic because you’re mostly right on everything. The problem is the Rays side. They won’t play Vientos, a RHB, against RHP, so it’s hard to see his trade value improving from the current $20MM as he approaches arbitration in 2027 and only gets 300 PAs. Of course you account for this with the excess value in this trade. And I like Sproat, but the Rays will have T.Johnson, B.Hopkins, T.Nichols, J.Baumeister, T.Cumming and possibly newly acquired M.Forret in AAA next year. That’s a lot of pitching to go along with holdover arms like Ras, McClanny, Matz, Boyle and Seymour. I’m not saying Sproat wouldn’t make the Rays better but they have gaping holes in the field that need filling. If they trade Pep, they really need to get a good bat in return.
What could also make sense in this would be a Mauricio or Acuña, Sproat, Ryan Clifford, and maybe a SP RJ Gordon or SP Will Watson. I could see a Jett Williams and maybe the aforementioned AA- SPs, and a Luisangel Acuña. Again it’s just hard for me to see them giving up 6 years of control on multiple top 100 prospect right now.
I get it. You’re looking at it from the Mets perspective and I’m looking at it from the Rays perspective. I wouldn’t want to trade a top 100 prospect for a mid-rotation arm either, but if Pep is acquired to help land Marte then maybe it makes for the Mets. Rays already have lots of pitching (can never have too much though) and a deep Farm. What they lack are the top position player prospects who are more likely to go on to become good everyday players.