Which prospects should be “untouchable”?

[Sports Guy]

I put untouchable on quotes because no one is or should be untouchable.  But we also know there are guys they won’t trade, like Adley or GRod.

But getting past those guys, who the prospects you feel the Os shouldn’t trade this offseason, again recognizing that untouchable doesn’t exist but the likelihood of dealing them or getting enough for Them doesn’t reallY exist.

[NCRaven]

Mountcastle on the ML team.

[Frobby]

I think you named them in the OP.   I can’t see us trading the top position player prospect or the top pitching prospect in be minors.   Everyone else can be moved in the right deal.  

[Filmstudy]

At this point, they could trade anyone on the major league roster except Mountcastle for prospects and I would not have an issue. 

In terms of guys in the minors now, I'm not sure which prospects make sense to move among those on the efficient frontier of age/talent/progress in system.  Elias' primary job should be accumulating such players, so if they trade one, there better be a good reason.

As positional scarcity becomes more clear, with the lead prospects in the major leagues and remaining bulk of the prospects reaching AA and AAA, then transactions to trade youth for another team's youth may make sense.  It's difficult for me to conceive of a deal where the Orioles have not yet become contenders and trade youth to acquire any player 28+.  But then, the acquisition of 27-year-old Randy Milligan in 1989 really bothered me at the time. 

[wildcard]

I don't think the O's should be trading prospects at this point.   They should be in the business of adding  talent through FA.   The payroll is very low  for next year.  Time to fill holes with FAs on short term contracts until more of the O's prospects are ready for the majors.

Maybe next July or next off season will be the time to trade when the roster gets more crowded with quality players and prospects.  JMO

[baltfan]

If you watch how the Dodgers have done it, generally it should be your top 3-4.  Only with this most recent trade with the Nationals have they dipped into their top 3, and Ruiz is somewhat redundant for them.  

[Sports Guy]

For me, outside of the top 2, I’m keeping Mayo and Pinto before a lot of guys.  I know they are technically far away but they may have more upside than anyone in the organization outside of the top 2 and Hall.

 

[ShoelesJoe]

Because of the dearth of real pitching prospects in our system I would put the ones we do have off limits for any deal that wasn't a significant overpay. For example, another team would have to offer up an Austin Riley level prospect to get D.L Hall even though Hall is currently hurt. The simple fact is that the way our system shakes out our young pitchers are more valuable to us than they are to other teams. I'd throw Pinto, Bradish, Baumann, and of course G-Rod into that category as well: not "untouchable", but so expensive they may as well be. 

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, ShoelesJoe said:

Because of the dearth of real pitching prospects in our system I would put the ones we do have off limits for any deal that wasn't a significant overpay. For example, another team would have to offer up an Austin Riley level prospect to get D.L Hall even though Hall is currently hurt. The simple fact is that the way our system shakes out our young pitchers are more valuable to us than they are to other teams. I'd throw Pinto, Bradish, Baumann, and of course G-Rod into that category as well: not "untouchable", but so expensive they may as well be. 

The only way I would put Hall into this category is if teams are offering 60 cents on the dollar for him Because of the injury.

But the fact is that Hall is 2 years away from being able to be “let loose” and that assumes performance and health.

You could make a good argument that he is further away from helping at the ML level, at least as a starter, than Mayo is.

I’m  ok with trading him but for his real worth, not for chump change.  

[waroriole]

Westburg, unless we’re blown away. We don’t have another sure SS in the system that can hit. 

[Sports Guy]

19 minutes ago, waroriole said:

Westburg, unless we’re blown away. We don’t have another sure SS in the system that can hit. 

I don’t think we know that he is “for sure” a SS either.

[sevastras]

3 hours ago, baltfan said:

If you watch how the Dodgers have done it, generally it should be your top 3-4.  Only with this most recent trade with the Nationals have they dipped into their top 3, and Ruiz is somewhat redundant for them.  

I was really wanting Dustin May in the Machado trade.  At this point, 1 for 1 would have been a great get for the Os.

[sevastras]

59 minutes ago, waroriole said:

Westburg, unless we’re blown away. We don’t have another sure SS in the system that can hit. 

If you include Westburg in a deal for CJ Abrams, then it wouldnt matter.  I think that AR and Rodriguez are the only two that I wouldnt trade.  On the MLB team, probably just Mullins and Mountcastle.  Means is only expendable because of service time left.  Then again, if the Os could get a stud pitcher for AR, they could just sign Severino to a long term contract. 

[El_Duderino]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

I don’t think we know that he is “for sure” a SS either.

Or that he can hit…

[waroriole]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

I don’t think we know that he is “for sure” a SS either.

Likely SS then. He’s the only real option in our system.