Trading AAA for lower minor players?

[hallThalmt18h]

I never create posts because well, you guys are smarter than me, so I typically just lurk and read. 

I'm thinking about how the O's currently have a large number of good infielders in Baltimore and Norfolk - and how to maximize their value.  People often talk about packaging players to go out and get a frontline major league starting pitcher. But do teams ever go the other way -- and try to trade from our strength (AAA/ML infielders) to receive multiple lower level/younger players instead? 

I'm concerned that, around the time that our best players are nearing the end of their contracts, we may be entering a thinner period in our minor leagues, where we don't have a bunch of raging prospects knocking on the door. We could deal from this current area of strength by making trades that restock the lower levels, so that in 4-5 years, we still have viable options in Norfolk. 

Do teams do this? Should the O's do this? 

Edited September 26, 2023 by hallThalmt18h

[RZNJ]

The Rays have been good at this.  I also believe the Astros got Jordan Alvarez this way but most of these trades involve ML players on one side.  I’m sure there are some examples of AAA players for ones in the DSL or the lower minors.  With the Latin program in full bloom and continued good drafting I’m not worried about the pipeline yet, but trading someone like Norby for the next Junior Caminero seems just as good a strategy as trading him for a “C”major league talent.

[RZNJ]

This is what makes the Rays so good.  This is how they got Junior Caminero.   A minor league pitcher for, now, a top 10 prospect in all of baseball.

Transactions

  

July 2, 2019: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.

November 19, 2021: Traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Tampa Bay Rays for Tobias Myers (minors).

Edited September 26, 2023 by RZNJ

[Frobby]

You should post more often!  It’s a very good question. I could easily see trading some of our AAA talent for some players a little further away.  Either Norby or Ortiz could be a good candidate for such a move.  

Mike Elias has a lot to think about this winter.   There’s a lot of ways he could play his hand.  
 

[baltfan]

I think this is the direction you are going to see the Orioles go with Hays etc as well. It just makes too much sense. 

[wildcard]

I believe Stowers  and Norby could be traded for younger players.

[hallThalmt18h]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

I believe Stowers  and Norby could be traded for younger players.

These are exactly the players I was thinking of - 2 players where I am having a hard time envisioning where they could fit on the O's, and would lose value spending too much more time in Norfolk. 

Note: I do have confidence in the current regime's ability to draft and develop - even as they transition to a team that DOESN'T have a perennial top 5 pick. I'm more confident about this than I have been in decades.  But I also think it's only natural that there is going to be a regression in the system when you no longer have those no-doubters in your minors (Rutsch/Gunnar/Holliday, etc.). There will be more question marks, so balancing the talent/age level in the minor league system to prepare for that feels like a good idea.

Edited September 27, 2023 by hallThalmt18h

[waroriole]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

I believe Stowers  and Norby could be traded for younger players.

You almost forget Stowers exists. He really faded quickly. He could be next year’s OHearn. 

[wildcard]

Urias is a major leaguer that they could traded for younger prospects.  They have Westburg, Ortiz and Holliday to replace him.

[Just Regular]

CLE-TB-NYY are the three Clubs I think of most often doing this...it is kind of its own mini-market in which talent rich teams offload guys needing 40-man placements for guys who don't yet.

The Astros' Yordan get from the Dodgers may in time become as famous as Lou Brock, Jeff Bagwell, etc.     It was a reliever rental scenario in 2016 right at the deadline hour.

LAD acquired Josh Fields, who as of 8.1.2016 had thrown about 15 innings with a 90th+ percentile k-bb.     Also about a 7.00 ERA.     Because internet, the tweet itself is kind of baseball geek famous, and will live forever:

 

[dzorange]

1 hour ago, waroriole said:

You almost forget Stowers exists. He really faded quickly. He could be next year’s OHearn. 

I just feel bad for Stowers. I hope he gets out of this system, for his sake.

Edited September 27, 2023 by dzorange

[Hank Scorpio]

1 hour ago, waroriole said:

You almost forget Stowers exists. He really faded quickly. He could be next year’s OHearn. 

He had a hell of a year, actually... he and Norby, both forgotten.

[LookinUp]

The conventional wisdom, which really doesn't have to be true, is teams don't trade minor leaguers for minor leaguers, but I think you're proposing something different.

You want to trade guys who can be major leaguers this year for minor leaguers. It should absolutely be in the cards. They have value (6 years service time, some talent, pedigree of playing in this org). And they're likely better than at least some major leaguers. The issue with doing this is you're not trading Jackson Holliday, you're trading non top 100 prospects, so the value you get back is likely younger and lower rated. That's ok though. Target guys with our metrics, get as many guys as possible back, and hope a few develop.

This would be different than trading a guy like Fabian for a low A ball pitcher. That seems more rare, and less likely, but I'm just going by impressions.

[hallThalmt18h]

3 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

The issue with doing this is you're not trading Jackson Holliday, you're trading non top 100 prospects, so the value you get back is likely younger and lower rated. That's ok though. Target guys with our metrics, get as many guys as possible back, and hope a few develop.

^^^this.

The guys I'd want to trade would (theoretically) have more value to other teams in need of young major league players, than they do for us - where there is no room for them to get on the field at Camden Yards. So, if we don't have room, there would be value in trading them even if it's for younger/lower level lottery tickets.

[MarCakes21]

20 hours ago, RZNJ said:

This is what makes the Rays so good.  This is how they got Junior Caminero.   A minor league pitcher for, now, a top 10 prospect in all of baseball.

Transactions

  

July 2, 2019: Signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.

November 19, 2021: Traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Tampa Bay Rays for Tobias Myers (minors).

And we traded Tobias Myers for Tim Beckham I think