BALTIMORE—Is eight enough? Eight is the number of prospects the Orioles have brought back in the last six days in trades for Manny Machado and Zach Britton.
After the Orioles received five prospects from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Machado last Wednesday, they followed it with a deal for three more from the New York Yankees for Zach Britton on Tuesday.
The top-ranked prospect in the deal is Dillon Tate, a 24-year-old right-hander who has a 5-0 record with a 3.38 ERA in 15 starts for Double-A Trenton.
Tate was the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft by Texas, which packaged him to the Yankees in July 2016 for Carlos Beltran.
Two pitchers from New York’s Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team, left-handed starter Josh Rogers and right-handed reliever Cody Carroll, are also included in the deal.
Tate reports to Double-A Bowie, Rogers and Carroll to Triple-A Norfolk.
“Dillon Tate is a top draft pick. I guess he’s probably the headliner, or the most publicized player that we’re picking up in this deal,” Orioles Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette said.
The 24-year-old Rogers is 6-8 with a 3.95 ERA in 19 starts. Carroll, who is 25, is 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA and nine saves.
Rogers was particularly attractive to the Orioles because they don’t have any left-handed starters or prospects nearly ready for the majors.
“I think that gives him a good opportunity to join our rotation on that basis,” Duquette said. “He’s really strong against left-handed hitters, and we don’t have a lot of candidates for left-handed starting pitching.”
Rogers and Carroll were taken in the 2015 draft — Rogers in the 11th round, Carroll in the 22nd.
“Cody Carroll is having an excellent year with the Yanks,” Duquette said. “He pitched in the Triple-A All-Star Game and has a really good strikeout record. Big strong kid with two really good pitches, a fastball with good velocity, and he’s got a good slider the lefties and the righties have trouble with.”
Combining Carroll, Rogers and Tate with the players received in the Machado deal, it seems that the Orioles have added some genuine prospects.
A scout who is familiar with the three players from the Yankees’ organization said that Tate, who now has been traded twice, is a pitcher who “projects as a No. 3 or 4 starter.” During games, Tate has been clocked at 97 mph, but “his fastball gets flat,” the scout said.
Tate is described as “very athletic” and was a closer in college before being converted to a starter for the major leagues. He has a fastball, slider and changeup.
Rogers, the scout said, is a “big, physical” pitcher, and he “pitches backwards.” He starts hitters with breaking stuff and uses a fastball to finish them off.
Carroll has a good fastball and can throw in the mid-90s, the scout said.
The prize of the Machado deal was 21-year-old outfielder Yusniel Diaz, who homered twice in the Futures game. Diaz, right-handed pitchers Dean Kremer and Zach Pop and infielder Rylan Bannon are playing for Bowie. Infielder Breyvic Valera is at Triple-A Norfolk.
The scout said both trades contain a centerpiece, Tate and Diaz, and depth. He was surprised the Orioles didn’t mine the Yankees’ surplus of minor league infielders.
Duquette is pleased with the packages.
“You always look to have one headliner when you make a trade, and Tate is the headliner in this trade,” Duquette said. “We were able to fulfill that in the Dodger trade with Diaz, and also add some other players to help us in the future as we rebuild the roster. But we were fortunate to identify a trading partner in the Yankees that could deliver to us a player that we felt comfortable with, a player that we could depend on in the future.”
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Getting prospects is relatively easy. Developing them is the Orioles challenge, has been for years. They are making the right moves, at least on paper, so now we just have to wait and see. I just hope that the team can find a happy medium in rebuild mode, as I hate the fact that nowadays everyone is convinced you have to subject the fan base to three or four 100-loss seasons to field a winner. There has to be another way...
Bancells, they've actually done a decent job at developing players once they're here. They just don't have enough scouts in the right places to identify them.
Seattle has managed to trade its way to contention. Aggressive trading can work, and if there are six teams trying to strip down and contend, logic tells you that they won't all be succesful.
Great deals! Something we should have started last year. Congrats to our scouts and DD for being on their toes. Not so sure about a Schoop trade. Might be wise to build around him. They’re going to have to think extension for him. Unless there’s an injury on some team, the market for Jones will be nearly zero. Maybe keep Jones to run the clubhouse. Another extension.
Camden Bird: I think I join you in backing off criticism of DD. If you think about the rule 5's, this is the only way DD could get some of the latin talent that the warehouse would not let him pursue. As for Chris Davis, the general consensus is that DD did not have anything to do with the amount they offered to Davis. Finally, the only thing we can really hang around Dan's neck is that we hung onto Manny and Zach one year too long. They should have been moved last year at the deadline but as usual the Orioles over value their players and we thought that chasing the 2nd wild card spot was a desirable outcome.
I'm not even sure if we can hang that on Duquette. I've read from several Orioles sites that Dan actually was willing to let Davis walk based on the amount he was demanding. It was Angelos who caved in and wanted him re-signed. You make a good point about the Rule 5 Draft being his only way to acquire Latin players.
It will be fascinating to see what happens with Jones over the next few days--and beyond.
You know, I have to admit, I've been pleasantly surprised by the moves Dan has made this past week. That is probably an unpopular opinion for most. But if the reports that have surfaced this past week from around the league are true – that their dealings with the O's front office has been totally different than before (they're more structured, coherent, aggressive, etc.) – and Duquette is telling the truth that ownership and the front office realize they need to make some radical changes in the Warehouse, then I might reconsider my position on Dan being let go this offseason. Color me curious.
I have been a very harsh critic of his for the past several years, and overall, he has deserved it. But to be fair, some of the things I've blasted him on the most (the Chris Davis signing, focusing solely on the Rule 5 draft, ignoring the international market, etc.) have not been Duqette's fault, but rather primarily on Peter Angelos (and to a degree, Buck as well).
Duquette has made some terrible moves that were completely on him. But if you remember, he was one of the very best GM's in baseball from 2012–2014. Speculation has been that he's been out to sabotage the organization for not letting him leave for Toronto. But starting around 2015, Brady Anderson has had a larger and larger voice in the front office as well. I think that has more to do with it than Toronto.
"We had identified the areas that we needed to improve in," Duquette said. "Technology, international scouting, facilities, the draft, strengthening our analytics, investing in international scouting, investing in more front office staff to be more in line with our competitors, expanding our nutrition and wellness resources at every level of the organization. Those are areas that we identified that we could improve in, and the ownership understands those are areas that we need to put more resources into."
If this is indeed true, then I'm curious to see what Dan can do. To his credit, he has a history of some terrific moves during his Montreal and Boston days, and even in Baltimore as well. There is no doubt that Duquette has RESPONSIBILITY in the Warehouse. The question is does he have AUTHORITY? It seems like the answer to that question has increasingly been "no". John and Lou Angelos have been calling a lot of shots. Brady Anderson seemingly has unlimited authority but with no defined position. Buck has gone straight to Peter Angelos (rather than conferring with Dan) about who he wants re-signed.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but if the above quote is true, I would sign Dan Duquette to an extension and let him do his job. The Angelos family and Brady Anderson should stay out of the baseball decision making, and Buck (should he return) should focus on the field rather than the Warehouse. I'm not holding my breath that all of that will happen; but if it does, I think Dan Duquette could even surpass his 2012–2014 years.
Camden, readers here seem to be supportive of Duquette's moves here, but let me correct you on one thing. Buck Showalter is not deciding on Rule 5 picks or if the team is in the international market. He's involved--more than most managers--but not that involved.
That's true, and is honestly what I meant. I think it was here on baltimorebaseball.com that I read Duquette was actually willing to let Davis walk based on the amount he was demanding. It was Angelos who wanted him re-signed. (Although, is there any truth that Buck went to Angelos wanting Davis re-signed as well, since he had him in Texas?)
I didn't mean that Showalter has been calling the shots in the Rule 5 Draft or the international market. I meant that has been on the Angelos family while Buck has kind of stepped over the "chain of command" and went straight to Peter about who he wants back (Davis, O'Day, etc.)
Davis was drafted in June 2006, the final year Showalter was in Texas, so I don’t think that qualifies as having had him. I can’t believe that part of your scenario.
Possibilities of success with this haul is boundless and more to come. So don’t screw it up.
The comment about no lefty starters is just not true
Akin and Means are almost as close to ready as Rogers is.
Lowther and Bishop are both lefties and better prospects than Rogers even though they are further away from the major league
I’m not complaining about another lefty starter in the pipeline. So far, 8 guys for 2. First the farm, then the enterprise. Your move, Dan.
I don't believe we landed on the moon but here's a better conspiracy theory. D2 pulled Manny, Zach and Adam aside and said we'll trade you and resign you next year with a shitload of prospects in our pocket. Look how well that worked out with Sidney Ponson.
Thank you for a most creative pot, Ezrine.
Nice job done by DD. It seems we are all set with Pop or Carroll being the future closer with the other being the setup guy. Tanner Scott could also be in the mix, and with Frey & Castro are all young and controllable pieces. O'Day & Bleir both come back next year to help continue the mentoring and leadership roles would be great. But what a nice young right/left balance we would have as a bullpen. I heard DD has been rumored to be in running to sign Cuban OF Victor Victor Mesa. Would be a great signing. Maybe sign SS Iglesias over the winter would be awesome defensive move we need. Also bring back Britton, he's open to it. Next year's draft hopefully drafting number 1, would bring in another top line pitcher and things aren't looking so bad. Need to sign Scoop though.