Michael Fulmer, Luis Cessa to Tigers: Latest Trade Details and Scouting Report

Sitting 11.5 games out of first place in the American League Central Division, the Detroit Tigers had to shake up their roster. After dealing pitcher David Price to the Toronto Blue Jays, they did just that by trading Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets on Friday afternoon. 

In return, they received prospect pitchers Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa to help build their prospect pool, the Tigers announced:

While they do not hold the same kind of star power as Cespedes, Fulmer and Cessa will be difference-makers in the future. 

Upon their announced acquisitions, MLB.com lists Fulmer as the fifth-best prospect in the Tigers' system, while Cessa is the ninth.

Fulmer has been solid in 15 starts in Double-A with a 6-2 record to go with a 2.03 ERA. With 92 strikeouts in 93 innings this season, he knows how to make batters miss, something Jon Morosi of Fox Sports views as invaluable for the Tigers:

His style of pitching reminds the New York Post's Joel Sherman of a young Matt Garza or Garrett Richards, a power arm that will bring a competitive mindset to every start. 

Even if the Tigers did not trade Cespedes, there would have been a chance that he would not re-sign with them when his contract is up at the end of the season. Getting a player of Fulmer's potential for Cespedes had one MLB executive impressed, per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal:

Like Fulmer, Cessa was excelling in Double-A with a 7-4 record and 2.56 ERA before he was promoted to Triple-A. He has run into some trouble in his new setting with an 0-3 record in five starts with an ERA of 8.51. But Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press that Cessa had an "above-average arm."

Though he's closer to the majors, it's unlikely that Cessa is going to develop into the talent that Fulmer could be. Nevertheless, Cessa can become a solid third or fourth starter who will still need to develop his secondary pitches. 

But gaining two promising pitching prospects by dealing a player the Tigers likely would not be able to re-sign in the offseason was a pretty nice reward for Cespedes. 

Stats are courtesy of MiLB.com.