The non-waiver trade deadline has come and gone, and the Los Angeles Dodgers were big winners for acquiring Yu Darvish, Tony Watson and Tony Cingrani. While another ace and potential late-inning reliever were a nice haul, the acquisitions came at a cost.
Ultimately, however, the Dodgers fared exceptionally well by not losing Yadier Alvarez, Walker Buehler or Alex Verdugo. Instead, Willie Calhoun was the organization’s highest-rated prospect lost in the three trades.
Willie Calhoun, A.J. Alexy and Brendon Davis traded to Texas Rangers for Yu Darvish
Calhoun recently ranked No. 4 on the DodgerBlue.com midseason top prospects list. He was one of the best hitters in the system, slugging to a .931 on-base plus slugging percentage, with 23 home runs in 99 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season.
However, Calhoun’s subpar defense has kept him off the big league roster, which will be less of an issue now that he’s in the American League and can serve as a designated hitter.
Alexy ranked 19th on my midseason list thanks to a dominant showing with Low-A Great Lakes. Through 19 starts, he posted a 3.67 ERA and allowed a paltry .180 opponents’ batting average. The 19-year-old right-hander doesn’t have explosive stuff right now, but figures to gain velocity as he adds weight to his thin frame.
Davis ranked 30th in my preseason prospect list and spent most of the last two seasons with the Loons. He was recently promoted to High-A Rancho Cucamonga, where he hit .200 through eight games prior to the trade.
At 6’4 and 185 lbs., Davis plays shortstop now but will likely end up at third base. He’ll need to continue to get stronger to fit a corner offensive profile.
Oneil Cruz and Angel German traded to Pittsburgh Pirates for Tony Watson
Cruz ranked 38th on my preseason top prospects list. Signed as a 16-year-old, he grew five inches over the last two seasons and is now 6’6, but still athletic enough to play some shortstop.
If Cruz not done growing, he’ll likely end up at first base. Cruz doesn’t hit for much power now but it could develop into his best tool as he continues to mature physically.
German was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2013 and spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He made it to the states in 2015, then started showing premium velocity the following year by touching triple digits as well as showing a potentially plus slider. In 2017, he was dominant for Great Lakes, allowing a 1.91 ERA in 21 games.
Scott Van Slyke and Hendrik Clementina traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Tony Cingrani
Clementina was also signed out of the Domincan Republic in 2013 and played for the DSL Dodgers the following year. He came to the states in 2015 but really broke out this season with Rookie level Ogden, hitting .370/.439/.554 in 24 games.
That production led to Clementina being named to the Pioneer League All-Star team. A catcher, he threw out 10 of 33 attempted basestealers in 23 games.
Overall, the Dodgers did lose some talent at the deadline, but they gained even more at the Major League level. The system is still strong, with the likes of Dennis Santana and Keibert Ruiz having breakout years.
The organization did well to add talent for a push to the World Series without mortgaging the future.
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