Rays & Rockies
Submitted by: emilempenza
Rays
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Story | 28 | Majors | SS | Low | 1 | 40.2 | 15.4 | 24.8 | 22.4 | 27.3 | 32.3 |
Total Value:
27.3
Rockies
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Lowe | Minors | OF | 12.2 | 9.8 | 12.2 | 14.6 | ||||||
| Taylor Walls | Minors | SS | 13.2 | 10.6 | 13.2 | 15.8 |
Total Value:
25.4
Comments
5Pretty straight forward trade. Rays badly need offence this year and Adames isn't really cutting it, a year of Story leads nicely into the arrival of Wander as full time SS from next year. Taylor Walls is MLB ready but completely blocked in the Rays system by the vast quantity of MIF prospects and is facing 40 man crunch. Josh Lowe makes up the deal with some high upside that the Rockies need if they are going to rebuild
NEWSLETTER? SURE, SIGN ME UP!
Not something the Rays would even consider. This trade has the Rays giving up their CF of the future (which might be next year) and their super utility infielder of the future, for a high priced rental in a year where the Rays are playing .500 ball. Rays have spent the past 5 years building toward the Wander years and they won't be hurting their 22-28 years to help the 21 team. Lowe and Walls are important to that future, as is the cash that would have to be paid to Story, so they pass on this trade.
I like Walls, but the Rays really aren't short on super utility guys for now, or for the future. I think he almost certainly ends up getting traded, just like Solak did, just like Croneworth did as there just isn't a space for him. Lowe is more debatable as he's finally coming around but I don't think he's exactly a lock to be their CF of the future, I doubt he even stays in CF as he's not much of a fielder. He's got potential as a corner bat but that's a more crowded spot and he's running out of time and heading for the 40 man crunch, while younger guys are arriving behind him with more time like Heriberto Hernandez. Possible both is a bit much, Walls and then a couple of depth pieces instead of Lowe probably makes more sense tbh
Recent article from MLB.com praising J.Lowe's defense in CF - https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/best-defensive-prospects-in-mlb Baseball America also listed J.Lowe as the Rays best defensive outfielder in 2019.
What the Rays do with their infield is the million dollar question, and I don't think anyone knows what they're going to do yet, including them. Adames seems to be writing his ticket out of town. He's got Franco vying for his spot on the team and he's having a slow start to a year in which I really thought he would take the next step and become a top 10 SS in the league. Wendle is playing his heart out and he's a valuable part of the team today, but he's also down to 2 years of control after 2021 and is already 31 years old. I have a hard time seeing Wendle as part of the future for that reason. Brosseau and Padlo don't fit the super utility category because they can't play SS, and each is probably best utilized as a lefty specialist anyway. So that leaves Walls to fill the super utility spot, Franco to play SS and Brujan to play ... maybe 2B (and push B.Lowe to COF), maybe 3B, and maybe COF. If I'm the Rays, I'm planning to keep Walls unless the return for him is too good to pass up. Your info on Lowe is incorrect. He's a quality defender in CF and the favorite to man the position in the future because of his defense. Brujan might develop into a quality CF too, but for now, it's Josh Lowe's position to lose. He might move to COF in the future if his bat develops a little more and Brujan develops more. We'll see. I don't see H.Hernandez as a COF. He has plodding speed and poor fielding skills, and I just can't see him anywhere but 1B/DH in the future. I know the Rays are still trying him out at catcher with COF the back up option, but I just don't see it. All that said, I still don't think the Rays would trade for Story. Salary is one issue. Giving up top prospects for the future run with Franco is the other.