The MLB trade deadline has now come and gone and there were notable prospects moved during the trading frenzy. How do you know if this is a better landing spot? In this article, I’ll give you my take on some of the pitching prospects involved in deals and howtheir landing spots might change things. I’ll also shed a little light on the lesser-known prospects dealt. Stay tuned for my hitting prospects article on the trade deadline.
More great fantasy baseball advice and analysis: Waiver Wire & FAAB Recommendations | Daily MLB Injury Report | MLB DFS Picks | Line-up Analysis | Dynasty Rankings and Strategy | MLB Bullpen Updates | MLB Player Props | Prospect Rankings & Analysis | Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers
Pitching Prospects On The Move
Drew Rom, LHP BAL-STL
(19 GP, 18 GS, 86 IP, 100 K, .290 AVG, 5.34 ERA)
Drew Rom was one of the better pitching prospects in the Baltimore farm system prior to the trade to the Cardinals. Rom has pitched the entire season in Triple-A Norfolk but struggled in May and June. In July things started to click for Rom as he had a 3.63 ERA over five starts with 27 strikeouts over 22.1 innings pitched. The Cardinals are getting a pitcher that has shown solid strikeout numbers throughout his minor league career and could profile as an SP3 once he gets to the major leagues.
Jake Eder, LHP MIA-CHW
(9 GS, 39.1 IP, 48 K, .221 AVG, 4.12 ERA)
Solid get for the White Sox in Jake Eder. The 24-year-old Eder is dominant with his high 90s fastball and plus slider that induces a ton of swing and miss. In his first season back from Tommy John Eder has built back up over two levels in Low-A and Double-A with the Marlins. The high strikeout rates were coming back prior to the trade as Eder had an 11.53 K/9 across six Double-A starts. Eder has SP2 upside if he can control the walk rate with the floor being an SP3 if not.
Zack Showalter, RHP BAL-STL
(9 GP, 8 GS, 30.1 IP, 41 K, .222 AVG, 2.37 ERA)
This was a great low-key trade for the Cardinals with Zack Showalter coming over. This season Showalter pitched in the complex ball as well as Low-A Delmarva. In Low-A, Showalter had 25 strikeouts in 20.1 innings with a .250 average against and a 3.10 ERA in six appearances five being starts. Showalter was a high school arm that was signed in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB draft and has plenty of time to develop. If the Cardinals take the same approach they have with Tink Hence we could see a mid to back-end rotation piece here.
Jackson Wolf, LHP SDP-PIT
(18 GS, 88.1 IP, 105 K, .225 AVG, 4.08 ERA)
The landing spot for Wolf was solid in my opinion. The 24-year-old left-hander was solid in Double-A, having a 10.70 K/9 with a 2.24 BB/9. It’s hard for the pitchers in the Texas League when it comes to home runs and it shows with his 1.22 HR/9. Wolf could thrive coming to the east coast and pitching in Double-A Altoona and eventually in Triple-A Indianapolis.
Jackson Wolf has already made his major league debut and could be an option for the Pirates down the stretch. With his skill set, I think he could be a solid back end of the rotation piece for the Pirates and could be a flex starter in 20-30 team leagues.
Juan Carela, RHP NYY-CHW
(17 GP, 16 GS, 83.1 IP, 109 K, .210 AVG, 3.67 ERA)
The Yankees moved Juan Carela to the White Sox after he put together a solid season in High-A Hudson Valley. The 21-year-old right-hander had an 11.77 K/9 with a 3.46 BB/9 across his 17 appearances (16 being starts). Throughout Carela’s minor league career, he struggles when he gets to a new level, then puts up solid numbers. Look for Carela to make his debut in Winston-Salem and potentially get the bump to Double-A Birmingham by year’s end.
Bradley Blalock, RHP BOS-MIL
(11 GS, 53.1 IP, 58 K, .198 AVG, 2.19 ERA)
One of the prospects making waves in the Boston Red Sox organization was Bradley Blalock. Blalock started the season in Low-A after missing the entire 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. In Low-A, Blalock struck out 22 batters in 18 innings pitched (11 K/9) with a .167 average against and a 1.50 ERA across four starts. The Red Sox quickly promoted the 22-year-old to High-A Greenville where he struck out 36 batters in 35.1 innings with a 2.55 ERA across seven starts for the Drive.
Heading to the Brewers’ pitching factory has to increase Blalock’s stock. This would be a solid grab in 20-30 team dynasty leagues as he makes his way up the Brewers’ organizational ladder.
Evan McKendry, RHP TBR-MIL
(20 GP, 15 GS, 96.2 IP, 95 K, .230 AVG, 4.00 ERA)
Evan McKendry is off to the Brewers and honestly, this might be a nice change of scenery for the 25-year-old right-hander. McKendry has shown solid command and control as a starter and reliever with his time in the minor leagues. His strikeout rate has remained about a strikeout per inning and if the Brewers are able to get a little more out of him with their development you could be looking at a solid spot starter and long man.
Joe Boyle, RHP CIN-OAK
(19 GS, 84 IP, 122 K, .207 AVG, 4.50 ERA)
Big strikeouts are going to Oakland with the acquisition of Joe Boyle. But like Spider-Man, with great strikeouts come massive walk rates… Wait that’s not right… Boyle has been impressive with the massive strikeouts but has dealt with control issues since he was a reliever for Notre Dame. The Reds deployed Boyle as a starter. I would suspect the Athletics might find him better suited as a dominant setup man or closer long-term.
DJ Herz, LHP CHC-WSH
(14 GS, 59 IP, 80 K, .211 AVG, 3.97 ERA)
The 22-year-old DJ Herz has had a solid bounce back from his struggles in Double-A last season. This year Herz has a 3.97 ERA in 14 starts with a solid 12.20 K/9 but has continued to struggle with the walks. Currently, Herz has a 5.64 BB/9 that will need to come down if he wants to remain a starter long-term. Hopefully, the Nationals can work with Herz the way they have with Jake Bennett to get the most out of his skill set.
Jake Madden, RHP LAA-COL
(14 GS, 64.1 IP, 66 K, .247 AVG, 5.46 ERA)
The fourth-round pick of the Angels is on his way to the Rockies, The 21-year-old right-hander features a low 90s fastball and a low 80s slider that lag behind the plus change-up. In his time at Low-A this season, Madden has a 9.23 K/9 with a 5.46 BB/9 across his 14 starts. This could be a back of the rotation arm but more than likely fits the mold for a low-leverage reliever.
Mason Albright, LHP LAA-COL
(15 GP, 14 GS, 79.2 IP, 86 K, .248 AVG, 3.62 ERA)
In addition to Jake Madden, the Angels are sending Mason Albright who has a better upside in my opinion the Madden long-term. This season in Low-A, Albright has a 9.72 K/9 with a 2.26 BB/9 across 15 appearances (14 Starts). At only 20 years old, Albright has some time to build on his frame and add velocity but the landing spot is troubling for pitching prospects. If things break right this could be a SP5 but it will depend on how the Rockies develop him.
Justin Jarvis, RHP MIL-NYM
(17 GS, 87 IP, 102 K, .256 AVG, 4.33 ERA)
Close proximity pitching prospects seemed to be the target of the Mets this trade deadline. Justin Jarvis fits the mold, as he made it up to Triple-A this season. Prior to his promotion to Triple-A Jarvis struck out 91 batters in 75.2 innings (10.82 K/9) with a .238 average against and a 3.33 ERA across 14 starts at Double-A. This stop marked Jarvis’s best strikeout numbers in his minor league career. It will be interesting to see how the Mets will develop Jarvis once he starts in Triple-A Syracuse. The profile looks like he could be a back-end starter (SP5) but more likely as a long reliever once he makes his debut.
Tekoah Roby, RHP TEX-STL
(10 GS, 46.1 IP, 50 K, .271 AVG, 5.05 ERA)
This might be one of the biggest upside gets for the Cardinals this trade deadline. Tekoah Roby has been better than his numbers lead on to. Roby has a 9.71 K/9 with a low 2.33 BB/9 while his FIP of 3.85 says he has been a bit unlucky this season. The plus fastball, slider, and curveball paired with an average change-up could propel Roby to be a front-end starter if everything breaks right. Personally, I see Roby as a potential low-end SP2 long-term with a floor of an SP4. Very solid target in 20-30 team dynasty leagues.
Sem Robberse, RHP TOR-STL
(18 GS, 88.2 IP, 86 K, .211 AVG, 4.06 ERA)
The Cardinals stayed busy at the deadline and nabbed a gem in Sem Robberse from Toronto. The 21-year-old right-hander has been solid at Double-A, striking out 86 in 88.2 innings pitch with a .211 average and a 4.06 ERA. This fits the mold of a stereotypical Cardinals pitching prospect with a solid arm and he should move fast through their system. Robberse looks like an SP4 for me long-term and could be a great get in deep leagues.
Adam Kloffenstein, RHP TOR-STL
(17 GS, 89 IP, 105 K, .233 AVG, 3.24 ERA)
This season Adam Kloffenstein has been solid in Double-A having a 10.62 K/9 with a solid 3.44 BB/9 and a 3.24 ERA across 17 starts. Kloffenstein gets most of the strikeouts off of a plus slider that has a good break out of the zone. At 6’5” and 243 pounds, Kloffenstein has a starter’s build and at only 22 years old there is plenty of time to develop the fastball and change-up into above-average offerings. Kloffenstein could be a solid mid-rotation arm long-term if he continues to fool batters with the slider at the next level.
Nick Nastrini, RHP LAD-CHW
(17 GS, 73.2 IP, 85 K, .232 AVG, 4.03 ERA)
Great get by the White Sox leading up to the trade deadline. Nick Nastrini was a pitcher in the Dodgers organization I was hyped up about quite a bit going into 2023. The numbers have been a bit rough but it’s not hard to see the upside.
In Double-A this season Nastrini has a 10.38 K/9 with a 4.52 BB/9 and a 4.03 ERA in 17 starts. The walks have always been a concern and since he works with a plus slider and curveball that live on a swing-and-miss out of the zone, I don’t expect that to change. Nastrini has done a good job of limiting home runs in a home-run-heavy league. There is SP2 or even low-end SP1 upside here if the White Sox are able to unlock it.
Ky Bush, LHP LAA-CHW
(6GS, 26 IP, 33K, .242 AVG, 5.88 ERA)
The name of the game for Ky Bush is “strikeouts.” If he is able to continue the high K/9 that he put up in the Angels organization then look out. In six starts in Double-A Bush had an 11.42 K/9 with a 4.85 BB/9 while also posting a 5.88 ERA in a notoriously hard division for pitchers. What has hurt Bush are the walks and the home runs. The latter should come down a bit moving to the east coast. If Bush can get the control back to the 2.53 BB/9 he had in Double-A during 2022 this could be a SP2 for the White Sox long term.
⚾️ Home Run Derby Champion Signed Jersey Giveaway
Like and Comment below your Fantrax Username for a chance to win a Signed Vladimir Guerrero Jersey! pic.twitter.com/v4HHvwK0uO— Fantrax (@Fantrax) July 13, 2023