Ranking Mets' Luisangel Acuña and the Top 10 MLB Prospects Traded at 2023 Deadline
The 2023 MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and while the major leaguers who were dealt stole the headlines, the prospects involved in those swaps will determine who walks away as winners.
The New York Mets, Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals were the most aggressive sellers at this year's deadline, and as a result, all three teams have added significant prospect talent to their respective organizations.
Shortstop Luisangel Acuña and outfielder Drew Gilbert were the headliners in the blockbuster deals that sent Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers and Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros, and they were two of the top-tier prospects who found a new home this summer.
Ahead is a look at the 10 best prospects moved at this year's deadline, including where they ranked on Bleacher Report's most recent Top 100 prospect list, which published immediately following the 2023 draft on July 12.
Let's start with some honorable mentions.
Other Notable Prospects Who Were Traded
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Pitchers
LHP Mason Albright (LAA to COL in C.J. Cron/Randal Grichuk trade)
RHP Bradley Blalock (BOS to MIL in Luis Urias trade)
RHP Joe Boyle (CIN to OAK in Sam Moll trade)
RHP Juan Carela (NYY to CWS in Keynan Middleton trade)
RHP Tanner Gordon (ATL to COL in Pierce Johnson trade)
LHP DJ Herz (CHC to WAS in Jeimer Candelario trade)
RHP Justin Jarvis (MIL to NYM in Mark Canha trade)
RHP Adam Kloffenstein (TOR to STL in Jordan Hicks trade)
RHP Jordan Leasure (LAD to CWS in Lance Lynn/Joe Kelly trade)
RHP Jake Madden (LAA to COL in C.J. Cron/Randal Grichuk trade)
RHP Evan McKendry (TB to MIL in Alex Jackson trade)
RHP Sem Robberse (TOR to STL in Jordan Hicks trade)
RHP Nick Robertson (LAD to BOS in Enrique Hernández trade)
LHP Drew Rom (BAL to STL in Jack Flaherty trade)
RHP Victor Vodnik (ATL to COL in Pierce Johnson trade)
RHP Henry Williams (SD to KC in Scott Barlow trade)
LHP Jackson Wolf (SD to PIT in Rich Hill/Ji-Man Choi trade)
Hitters
SS Ryan Bliss (ARI to SEA in Paul Sewald trade)
OF Dominic Canzone (ARI to SEA in Paul Sewald trade)
C Ronald Hernandez (MIA to NYM in David Robertson trade)
2B Hao-Yu Lee (PHI to DET in Michael Lorenzen trade)
C Korey Lee (HOU to CWS in Kendall Graveman trade)
SS Kevin Made (CHC to WAS in Jeimer Candelario trade)
IF Devin Mann (LAD to KC in Ryan Yarbrough trade)
IF César Prieto (BAL to STL in Jack Flaherty trade)
IF Thomas Saggese (TEX to STL in Jordan Montgomery trade)
SS Jhonny Severino (MIL to PIT in Carlos Santana trade)
SS Kahlil Watson (MIA to CLE in Josh Bell trade)
10. LHP Ky Bush, Chicago White Sox
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B/R Top 100 Rank: Unranked
A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Ky Bush quickly emerged as the top pitching prospect in the Los Angeles Angels system last season.
The 6'6", 240-pound southpaw posted a 3.67 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in 103 innings at Double-A, earning a spot in the 2022 Futures Game and putting himself on the doorstep of the majors.
The 23-year-old pitches with a mid-90s fastball, a terrific slider and a plus changeup, and while he has posted an 8.37 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in 33.1 innings this season, those struggles can be attributed to a lat strain that kept him sidelined for the first two months of the year and the subsequent rust.
Bush immediately slots in behind 2022 first-round pick Noah Schultz as the second-best lefty pitcher in the White Sox system, and he could make a play for a spot in the rotation next season once he puts his injury further behind him.
9. IF Marco Vargas, New York Mets
3 of 11B/R Top 100 Rank: Unranked
Signed by the Miami Marlins for $17,500 out of Mexico one day before his 17th birthday last May, Marco Vargas is shaping up to be an absolute steal.
He hit .319/.421/.456 with 18 extra-base hits and 14 steals in 53 games in the Dominican Summer League last year, and he has continued to impress this season while making his stateside debut in rookie ball.
The 18-year-old is hitting .296/.461/.448 with 38 walks and only 22 strikeouts in 167 plate appearances, and he went 3-for-5 with a steal in his first game in the New York Mets organization on Monday.
An advanced hitter for his age with a 55-grade hit tool, Vargas could move quickly through the lower levels of the minors, and he has seen time at second base, shortstop and third base since starting his pro career.
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8. RHP Tekoah Roby, St. Louis Cardinals
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B/R Top 100 Rank: Unranked
The Texas Rangers went above-slot to sign Tekoah Roby away from a commitment to Troy University, giving him a $775,000 bonus as a third-round pick in the 2020 draft.
A sprained elbow cut his 2021 season short after just 22 innings, but he returned healthy last season and posted a 4.64 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 126 strikeouts in 104.2 innings as one of the youngest pitchers in the High-A South Atlantic League last year.
The 6'1", 185-pound right-hander has limited physical projection remaining, and he doesn't have a truly elite pitch, but he has four above-average offerings and a clean delivery, giving him a high floor and middle-of-the-rotation upside.
The Cardinals have a strong track record of getting the most out of pitchers with a floor-over-ceiling profile, and he has as much potential as any pitcher who was traded at this year's deadline, coming over in the deal that sent Jordan Montgomery the other way.
7. RHP Nick Nastrini, Chicago White Sox
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B/R Top 100 Rank: Unranked
Nick Nastrini struggled with command issues during his time at UCLA, but the Los Angeles Dodgers saw enough potential in his stuff to take him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft.
After racking up 32 strikeouts over 14 innings in his pro debut after signing, he quickly emerged as one of the most promising pitching prospects in a deep Dodgers system last year.
The 6'3", 215-pound right-hander posted a 3.93 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 116.2 innings between High-A and Double-A last year, and his 169 strikeouts was tied for seventh among all minor league pitchers. The 23-year-old has a 4.03 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 73.2 innings at Double-A this year.
Armed with a lively fastball that tops out at 98 mph, a wipeout slider, a plus curveball and a developing changeup, he has the potential for four above-average pitches and a frontline ceiling if he can dial in his command.
6. LHP Jake Eder, Chicago White Sox
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B/R Top 100 Rank: Unranked
How good can Jake Eder be if everything clicks?
"Eder displayed a plus fastball and slider throughout the 2021 season before he got hurt, and a pro scout with another organization called him the best pitching prospect in baseball," wrote MLB.com.
A fourth-round pick in the abridged 2020 draft by the Marlins, the 24-year-old made his pro debut the following season and posted a 1.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 99 strikeouts in 71.1 innings at Double-A while limiting opposing hitters to a .169 average.
That breakout performance ended prematurely when he injured his elbow in August and underwent Tommy John surgery, and he missed the entire 2022 season and the first two months of this year before finally returning to the mound on June 4.
The 6'4" left-hander has a 4.12 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 48 strikeouts in 39.1 innings between Single-A and Double-A this year as he shakes off the rust, and he's coming off a terrific start on Saturday where he allowed just one hit while striking out 10 over 5.2 innings.
A few years from now, he could be as impactful as any player traded at the 2023 deadline.
5. OF Ryan Clifford, New York Mets
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B/R Top 100 Rank: Next 50
A lackluster showing on the summer showcase circuit prior to his senior year of high school coupled with a strong commitment to Vanderbilt caused Ryan Clifford to slip to the 11th round of the 2022 draft.
The Astros saw enough in his offensive upside to sign him to a $1.1 million bonus—the equivalent of second-round money—and that has looked like a wise investment in his first full professional season.
The 20-year-old is hitting .291/.399/.520 with 16 doubles, 18 home runs and 61 RBI in 83 games between Single-A and High-A, and with his power potential and strong throwing arm, he profiles well as a future right fielder.
Clifford has trimmed his strikeout rate from 30.7 percent in his pro debut to a more palatable 24.0 percent this season, and keeping his swing-and-miss under control will be the key to reaching his full potential as the bulk of his future value is contingent on his offensive production.
4. C Edgar Quero, Chicago White Sox
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B/R Top 100 Rank: 100
The Chicago White Sox have found their catcher of the future in Edgar Quero, acquiring him from the Los Angeles Angels for a two-month rental of Lucas Giolito in one of the better seller deals of the deadline.
Quero, 20, vaulted up top prospect list last season when he hit .312/.435/.530 with 35 doubles, 17 home runs and 75 RBI in 111 games at Single-A, while also throwing out 25 percent of base stealers behind the plate.
The Angels took an aggressive approach to his development when they jumped him over High-A and sent him to Double-A to being the 2023 season, and he has held his own as one of the youngest players at the level by hitting .243/.383/.326 with 16 extra-base hits and more walks (56) than strikeouts (55).
With an advanced hit tool, developing power and the defensive tools to be an above-average catcher with more development, he checks all the boxes to be an everyday guy behind the plate.
3. OF Drew Gilbert, New York Mets
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B/R Top 100 Rank: 86
The New York Mets landed the best prospect in a thin Houston system that checked in at No. 30 in B/R's latest farm system rankings when they acquired outfielder Drew Gilbert as the headliner of the Justin Verlander deal on Tuesday.
Gilbert was one of college baseball's biggest breakout stars during the 2022 season, playing his way into the first-round picture and outperforming his more hyped teammate Jordan Beck by hitting .362/.455/.673 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs and 70 RBI in 58 games.
The Astros selected him No. 28 overall and put him on the fast track.
The 22-year-old hit .361/.421/.686 with 15 extra-base hits in 21 games at High-A to start the year before earning a quick promotion, and he has held his own making the jump to Double-A, which is generally the biggest leap in competition.
The fact that he also has plus speed and is a no-doubt center fielder defensively further adds to his overall value.
2. SS Luisangel Acuña, New York Mets
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B/R Top 100 Rank: 60
Shortstop Luisangel Acuña has been steadily moving up prospect rankings since making his stateside debut in 2021, and he has established himself as a consensus top 100 prospect this season with a breakout offensive performance at Double-A.
The 21-year-old is hitting .315/.377/.453 with 25 doubles, seven home runs, 51 RBI, 68 runs scored and 42 steals in 47 attempts, and he has committed just six errors in 570 innings at shortstop.
Blocked at shortstop by Corey Seager in Texas, he has also seen some sporadic action at second base and in center field this year, and that will serve him well in the Mets system since he is now blocked by Francisco Lindor.
His mix of contact skills, extra-base power, speed and defense give him an extremely high floor, especially considering how far ahead of the developmental curve he is, and he also has baseball bloodlines on his side as the younger brother of Ronald Acuña Jr.
1. 1B Kyle Manzardo, Cleveland Guardians
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B/R Top 100 Rank: 49
It didn't take long for Kyle Manzardo to establish himself as a top-tier prospect after he was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft out of Washington State.
After a 13-game audition in rookie ball after signing, he jumped straight to High-A in his first full professional season, and he closed out the year at Double-A, hitting a combined .327/.426/.617 with 26 doubles, 22 home runs and 81 RBI in 93 games.
One of the youngest players at the Triple-A level this year, he has held his own, hitting .238/.342/.442 with 19 doubles, 11 home runs and 38 RBI in 73 games, but his path to playing time in Tampa Bay was firmly blocked by Yandy Díaz and Luke Raley at first base.
Now he joins a Cleveland team in serious need of offensive help with a chance to make an impact in the not-too-distant future.
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