Though the excitement of Aroldis Chapman coming to the Bronx might be too much to ignore, the New York Yankees did give up four prospects.
By Patrick Brewer
On Monday afternoon, the Bronx Bombers completed a deal with the Cincinnati Reds to acquire LHP Aroldis Chapman. In return, the Yankees gave up of group of four prospects, listed in more detail below, while avoiding giving up any of their four best prospects: Greg Bird, Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo, and Gary Sanchez.
While it is fairly obvious what the Yankees are getting, possible suspension for domestic violence aside, it is a little less clear what the Yankees are giving up, and, more importantly, what the Reds are gaining. For those purposes, this will be a more in-depth look at each of the prospects involved, and what their futures may hold outside of New York.
To gain something means you’ll have to give up something. Here’s what the Yanks just gave up:
INF Eric Jagielo
Of all the prospects involved in this Chapman trade, infielder Eric Jagielo may be the most recognizable of all four traded.
While the prospect return was not what it would have been had there been no allegations of domestic violence, the Reds still got at least one Top 10 prospect out of the Yankees in the person of Eric Jagielo.
The Yankees first round pick (26th overall) in the 2013 draft, Jagielo is perhaps the Yankees best prospect outside of the big four that was mentioned above. Arguably blocked at the big league level by Chase Headley for the foreseeable future, Jagielo will hope to get a fresh start on a Reds team that just traded their franchise third baseman, Todd Frazier.
In 2015, Jagielo saw his first taste of Double-A with the Trenton Thunder. Due to arthroscopic knee surgery in 2015, his season was cut short, as he played in only 58 games. In that limited time, Jagielo slashed .284/.347/.495, with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. Jagielo also had an ISO over .200 with a wRC+ of over 140. Even in an injury shortened season, he still had an overall impressive performance in Double A.
Known for his strong raw power, Jagielo has so far done well to translate that into in game power in his limited playing time. Given his size, he is able to drive the ball to all fields, although he tends to strikeout a lot as a result. Despite his high strikeout rate, he also draws his share of walks, keeping his on base percentage high even while his average suffers. With below average speed and nothing more than an average throwing arm, the biggest concern for Jagielo going forward is whether he can stick at third base. At this point, it appears the alternative would be first base, which is currently headed by Joey Votto in Cincinnati.
RHP Rookie Davis
Even though the focus on the trade was INF Eric Jagielo, Rookie Davis is no slouch for the Reds either. Clearly the second best piece of the trade, Davis was drafted by the Yankees in the 14th round (449th overall) of the 2011 draft. Originally a position player, the Yankees saw his long term potential as better suited for a pitching role. Given this switch, Davis’ development has been slow to this point, as he only reached Double A in 2015, his fourth full season of professional ball.
In 2015, Davis split his time between High-A ball and Double-A. Rookie Davis started 19 games for the Yankees high A affiliate, throwing a total of 97 1/3 innings and finishing with an ERA of 3.70 and a FIP of 2.22. Following his promotion to Double A, Davis pitched in 33 1/3 across five starts (six total appearances) finishing with a higher ERA of 4.32 and FIP of 3.21. Despite a K/9 of nearly 10 and BB/9 of under 1 in High A, Davis struggled to have the same success in Double A. It is clear Davis still needs some seasoning, but at only 22 years old, and with a rebuilding Cincinnati Reds team, he will be given just that.
Best known for his fastball, that routinely reaches the mid-90s with cutting action, Davis also uses a strong curveball as well as a changeup that could end up being a plus pitch long term. Davis has decent enough control over all his pitches, but at times struggles with his command. While he has been used exclusively in starting role to this point, the possibility exists that he would be a better fit for the bullpen in the long term. To this point, the Reds have collected quite a few decent pitching prospects, and Davis adds yet another arm to that list of names.
RHP Caleb Cotham
Of the four prospects mentioned here, Caleb Cotham is the only one of the four that has some Major League experience up to this point. Originally drafted in the 5th round (165th overall) of the 2009 draft, the 28-year-old right hander got his first taste the majors in 2015 after parts of seven seasons in the minor leagues. Cotham was never a top prospect, and has similarly had slow development like Davis, as mentioned above.
In 2015, Cotham spent time in Double A, Triple A, and with the big league club in the Bronx. In Double A, Cotham pitched 26 innings, finishing with a 2.77 ERA and a 2.42 FIP, with a K/9 of 10.73. Based on this performance, Cotham was quickly promoted to Triple A, where he threw 31 innings, good for a 1.74 ERA and 2.32 FIP. His K/9 fell to under 9 but his walk rate fell from near three to under two. Finally, Cotham was promoted to the Bronx, where he finished with a 6.52 ERA in just 9 and 2/3 innings at the big league level. Even with his struggles, Cotham still sported a K/9 over 10 and a BB/9 under 1.
After beginning his professional career as a starter, Cotham was used almost exclusively as a reliever in 2015. With a new team in Cincinnati, it is unclear whether the Reds will use him in that same capacity, or attempt to transition him back to a starting role going forward. Cotham sits in the low 90s with his fastball and has several strong secondary offerings. Cotham has greatly improved his overall control in a bullpen role, and should continue that success going forward.
INF Tony Renda
Last, and perhaps least, is infielder Tony Renda. A former second round pick (80th overall) of the Washington Nationals in the 2012 draft, Renda was acquired as part of the David Carpenter trade last year. The 24-year-old second baseman played in Double A in both the Nationals and Yankees organizations last season. Not known for being flashy at the plate or in the field, Renda is still quite a bit of development away from being a potential big leaguer.
In 2015, Renda played in 127 games, slashing in the .270/.330/.360 range with both organizations. He finished with a wRC+ of just 96 with the Nationals and one of 103 with the Yankees. As a whole, Renda had a consistent season, but one that was not truly great in any facet of his game.
At the plate, Renda is known for good approach, always making good contact and rarely striking out. he is more of a solid line drive hitter, but can show some displays of strong power. In the field, he has a solid glove that plays even better with his above average speed. While his range is not as great as it could be, and he is limited to only playing second base, Renda’s strong eye at the plate should carry his game. In the event of a Brandon Phillips trade, Renda would likely be the second baseman of the Reds future, although that remains to be seen.