The Minor League 'All-Untouchable' Team at the 2015 Trade Deadline
There's always plenty of focus on the players who figure to be dealt at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, but it's often the prospects not exchanged who end up having the bigger impact in MLB.
There's a time and place to pull off a massive blockbuster move. But there are some young talents who should be locked away in tight bubble wrap when teams come calling.
The following slideshow features the minor league "untouchable" team of the 2015 trade deadline. We'll go position by position, sifting through some of tomorrow's biggest stars to acknowledge those youngsters clubs can't afford to trade.
Some of those names (Lucas Giolito, Corey Seager and Julio Urias) are well-known, while others (Josh Bell, Nomar Mazara and Bradley Zimmer) have burst onto the scene with fantastic 2015 seasons. Regardless of how they got here, the players on this list have too much promise to be included in short-term, shortsighted deals.
Remember to let your voice be heard in the comments section below. Would you be OK with your club trading one of these players? Are there more deserving names who would have made better selections?
Let's get started with our right-handed pitcher.
Right-Handed Pitcher: Lucas Giolito
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2015 Stats (High-A): 3-4, 2.76 ERA, 58.2 IP, 15 BB, 76 K, .239 OPP. AVG
There are a handful of talented right-handed hurlers who should be considered untouchable, but Lucas Giolito is the best of the bunch.
Giolito is the Washington Nationals' top overall prospect and Baseball America's No. 2 prospect at the midway point of the season. The 21-year-old also took part in the 2015 Futures Game this past weekend in Cincinnati (2 IP, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB).
In terms of stuff, Giolito's is as dominant as anybody's in the minors. His fastball explodes on opposing hitters, often flirting with triple digits. Giolito couples that heater with a sharp breaking ball that's as good as his primary pitch. With an improving changeup that keeps left-handed hitters honest, Giolito's repertoire is extremely polished for his age.
Giolito has been impressive in High-A this season and should be on the verge of a promotion to Double-A. He's certainly ready for the challenge.
"Giolito will soon turn 21, and given his success thus far in the pro ranks, it's easy to understand why he might be a bit restless about his timetable," wrote Dayn Perry of CBS Sports. "'Yes,' he said plainly when asked whether he was ready for Double-A. 'I'd like to get my opportunity soon, but it's not in my hands. I trust the process.'"
Regardless, Giolito is an elite arm who figures to eventually rank among the game's best if he continues to develop.
Honorable Mentions
Tyler Glasnow (Pittsburgh), Luis Severino (New York Yankees), Alex Reyes (St. Louis), Aaron Nola (Philadelphia)
Left-Handed Pitcher: Julio Urias
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2015 Stats (Double-A): 1-2, 3.00 ERA, 36 IP, 46 K, 9 BB, .191 OPP. AVG
Sports fans love to swoon over teenage phenoms. So prepare, America: Julio Urias is poised to be the next big thing in MLB.
At 18, Urias has already advanced to Double-A. Before heading to the disabled list after elective eye surgery earlier this season, the southpaw was striking out 11.5 batters per nine innings and holding opponents to a .191 average. His good work in 2015 was on the heels of a 2.36 ERA in High-A last year
Urias arguably has more upside than any prospect in the minor leagues. His arsenal is extremely polished for a teenager. It includes a mid-90s fastball, a slow curve and a fading changeup. Urias also substantially lowered his walk rate this season (from 3.80 to 2.25), proving he has command of three elite offerings.
If Urias resumes dominating hitters in the second half (he returned to the Arizona Fall League July 10 with two scoreless innings in his lone outing), a promotion to Triple-A isn't out of the question. To be fair, neither is a September call-up for a postseason run.
Whenever Urias' time comes, one thing is for sure—there's no better left-handed pitching prospect in the minors.
Honorable Mentions
Sean Newcomb (Los Angeles Angels), Daniel Norris (Toronto)
Catcher: Kyle Schwarber
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2015 Stats (Double-A/Triple-A): .323/.430/.591, 16 HR, 49 RBI, 46 R
Since Kyle Schwarber made his professional in 2014, one thing has remained true—nobody can figure how to get him out.
That's been especially accurate in 2015. Schwarber has crushed pitching at three different levels this season, including a brief cup of coffee with the Chicago Cubs in June. Between Double-A and Triple-A, the 22-year-old is hitting well over .300 with 16 homers and a ridiculous on-base percentage.
Because of his elite skill set at the dish, MLB.com ranked Schwarber as the No. 2 catching prospect in the minors before the season:
"In his pro debut, Schwarber showed why many scouts considered him the best all-around college hitter in the 2014 Draft. He combines strength and bat speed from the left side of the plate and excels at recognizing pitches and working counts. He repeatedly makes hard contact and has the tools to become a .280 hitter with 30 homers and a high on-base percentage.
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Schwarber isn't as polished defensively as he is at the plate, but the raw tools are there for him to develop into a serviceable backstop. Even if he has to move to the outfield, Schwarber's combination of contact and power makes him one of the top hitters in the minors and one of the Cubs' most valuable assets.
Honorable Mentions
None
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First Base: Josh Bell
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2015 Stats (Double-A): .312/.380/.431, 4 HR, 51 RBI, 38 R
The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the deepest farm systems in the sport, and Josh Bell is a big reason why.
To put it simply, the 22-year-old flat-out rakes. He's hit at every level and has continued to do so in Double-A in 2015. Bell is hitting .312 with a .380 on-base percentage due to striking out and walking roughly the same amount (40 K, 37 BB).
Bell has always displayed elite plate discipline, which has allowed him to remain one of the best hitters in the minors despite his lack of jaw-dropping power. As he continues to mature, Bell does have double-digit homer potential, which is a scary thought considering his advanced knowledge of the strike zone.
The Pittsburgh prospect sure looked like a star in the 2015 Futures Game, mashing a two-run homer this past weekend for the U.S. Futures side. A call-up to the majors probably won't happen in 2015, but Bell's days in the minor leagues are numbered.
His days as a Pittsburgh Pirate are not.
Honorable Mention
Matt Olson (Oakland)
Second Base: Yoan Moncada
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2015 Stats (Single-A): .268/.356/.408, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 15 SB, 31 R
When the Boston Red Sox broke the bank for Cuban sensation Yoan Moncada, the young infielder was always going to have to battle hype and expectations.
To begin 2015, Moncada might have felt the pressure that comes with a $63 million commitment. Through his first few minor league games, Moncada flirted with the Mendoza Line, failing to make much of an impact in his first opportunities against pitching in the states.
But since the calendar turned to July, Moncada has been on fire. The 20-year-old has improved his average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage to respectable marks while proving to be a huge weapon on the bases.
Moncada's manager in Greenville, Darren Fenster, told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe:
"He's been great since we got back here in the second half. There's a lot of hard contact we hadn't seen early. There's just a lot more consistency in his overall approach. ... He's got game-changing speed on the bases. He's got the instincts to steal bags when I think everyone in the ballpark knows he's going to steal, which is not an easy thing to do.
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Moncada still has a long way to go, but he has the potential to hit .300 with over 20 homers and steals one day in the majors. But for now, he'll have to settle for being one of MLB's most untouchable prospects.
Honorable Mention
Jose Peraza (Atlanta), Hector Olivera (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Shortstop: Corey Seager
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2015 Stats (Double-A/Triple-A): .308/.356/.520, 13 HR, 48 RBI, 3 SB, 55 R
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager was an easy choice here, but we need to use this opportunity to talk about the bright future of the shortstop position. With Houston's Carlos Correa and Cleveland's Francisco Lindor already in the big leagues, and Seager, J.P. Crawford (Philadelphia), Orlando Arcia (Milwaukee) and Trea Turner (Washington) on the way, the future of the game's premier position is in extremely gifted hands.
OK, off the soapbox.
As for Seager, there's not a more complete hitter in the minor leagues right now. After hitting .349 with 20 homers last season, Seager blitzed Double-A to earn a promotion earlier this year. The 21-year-old started slowly in Triple-A but has managed to mash eight homers and raise his average close to .300.
Aside from Seager's numbers, he does two things well that usually indicate a young hitter is ready for the big leagues. For one, he uses the whole field, and that bodes well for years and years of high averages. Seager also handles left-handed pitching, which will allow him to play every day as soon as he's called up.
Seager may eventually have to move from short, but for now, there's nobody better. Don't expect the Dodgers to include their top prospect in a deal before the deadline, regardless of the return.
Honorable Mention
J.P. Crawford (Philadelphia), Orlando Arcia (Milwaukee), Trea Turner (Washington)
Third Base: Joey Gallo
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2015 Stats (Double-A/Triple-A): .280/.390/.591, 12 HR, 40 RBI, 25 R
Joey Gallo already made a splash in the major leagues this season, but it's his incredible power potential that makes him the most valuable third base prospect in the game.
Gallo has exceeded 40 homers in each of the past two seasons. Forty homers. That's a ridiculous amount for a minor league player who's suiting up just over 100 times a year. Gallo has gone deep 12 times in 2015, which doesn't include the five round-trippers he tallied with the Texas Rangers in June.
As expected, with great power comes gaudy strikeout totals, and Gallo is no different. He's whiffed at alarmingly high rates for the majority of his professional tenure. However, he's capable of working the count and drawing a walk, which has allowed him to get on base at high clips. The strikeouts are worrisome, but Gallo has figured out a way to stay productive.
He could be back in the majors later this season, but Gallo's a shoo-in for a roster spot in 2016. Due to his prodigious power, Texas won't include him in any deal, no matter what the circumstance.
Honorable Mentions
Rafael Devers (Boston)
Left Field: Nomar Mazara
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2015 Stats (Double-A): .283/.360/.447, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 38 R
Nomar Mazara has climbed prospect lists around the baseball world this season, rising into Baseball America's Top 50 rankings at No. 34.
Mazara has done so by holding his own in Double-A in 2015. At just 20, Mazara has hit for average and power against older, more advanced arms. He has struck out 20.8 percent of the time, but he's been able to offset that with a healthy walk rate.
Another 2015 Futures Game invitee, Mazara has won over plenty of people in the Texas Rangers organization with his mature approach to the sport.
Triple-A Round Rock manager Jason Wood had this to say of Mazara, per Katy Clarke of WFAA Sports:
"The day I saw Nomar for the first time, I knew he was a big-leaguer and was going to be a big-leaguer for a long period of time. His presence, the way he carries himself, his actions. Every step, every move, every swing he takes is always under control. To be [a] consummate professional at this young age is something that is going to go a long way.
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Mazara is already so ahead of the curve that it would be foolish for the Rangers to trade him. Just like Gallo, expect him to remain in Texas and play a major part in the club's future plans.
Honorable Mention
Michael Conforto (New York Mets)
Center Field: Bradley Zimmer
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2015 Stats (High-A): .305/.401/.488, 10 HR, 38 RBI, 32 SB, 59 R
Bradley Zimmer. Remember the name.
The 22-year-old is one of the most dynamic players in minor league baseball. Zimmer does just about everything you could ask for on the diamond. Hit for average? Check. Drive the ball into the gaps? Yes. Steal bases? Oh yeah. Polished defensively? You bet.
Zimmer displayed that complete skill set in High-A the first half, earning a trip to the 2015 Futures Game as a result. He'll start the second half of the year in Double-A with a chance to position himself for a major league debut sometime next season.
Cleveland's higher-ups are noticing Zimmer's leaps in 2015.
"It's been really amazing to see how quickly he can pick up and apply adjustments in center field and on the bases," Indians scouting director Brad Grant told Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. "His first step is extremely quick, and he can cover a lot of ground with his strides. The bat has obviously progressed as hoped and the power is really coming on."
Before the beginning of 2015, Zimmer might have been obtained in the right situation. Now? He's become one of the most intriguing prospects in the minor leagues and a key component in Cleveland's future.
Honorable Mention
Austin Meadows (Pittsburgh), Manuel Margot (Boston)
Right Field: Aaron Judge
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2015 Stats (Double-A/Triple-A): .280/.353/.477, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 44 R
Aaron Judge has never lacked power. The 6'7", 275-pound monster of a man possesses more pop than most in the minor leagues.
But Judge has started to put together the entire offensive package in 2015, which should make him unavailable in any trade the New York Yankees are involved in over the coming weeks.
Judge has been a force in the middle of the lineup in Double-A and Triple-A this season, launching 13 homers and driving in 51 runs. Despite playing in High-A just a season ago, Judge has displayed impressive plate discipline for a player with such power. The tendency to swing and miss is still there, but he is surprisingly better at creating consistent contact than originally perceived.
It's hard not to notice someone as physically imposing as Judge, but the baseball world is keeping an eye on the 23-year-old. ESPN's David Schoenfield recently referred to Judge as a keeper for the Yankees.
"Judge is more pure hitter than pure power, a guy who focuses on trying to hit the ball to right-center. His power continues to improve, however. At Fresno, he went from two home runs as a freshman to four to 12 as a junior. He drew 89 walks last season in the minors and has drawn 36 so far this year in 82 games. He stands well off the plate, but explains that his natural mindset is to think right-center. 'If I can reach the outside fastball, I can react to everything inside,' he says.
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Judge draws comparisons to Giancarlo Stanton, and it's easy to see why. If he continues to develop, there's plenty of reason to believe he can become baseball's next big star in the Bronx.
Honorable Mention
Alex Jackson (Seattle), Jesse Winker (Cincinnati)
Stats courtesy of FanGraphs and accurate as of July 15.
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