The Los Angeles Dodgers made their first trade of the 2025 deadline official on Thursday, sending Hunter Feduccia to the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team deal for Paul Gervase, Adam Serinowski and Ben Rortvedt.
Gervase, a right-handed relief pitcher, and Rortvedt, a veteran catcher, both came from the Rays, while Serinowski is a left-handed pitching prospect from the Cincinnati Reds.
While it’s not the trade Dodgers fans were expecting or hoping for the team to make, it’s one filled with upside and comes with minimal downside to it.
Feduccia was serving as the Dodgers’ third catcher on the 40-man roster and unlikely to get a real opportunity without an injury to Will Smith or Dalton Rushing. Even with that possibility arising, Smith or Rushing would still get the majority of starts behind the plate, keeping Feduccia in a minimal role with the team.
Trading Feduccia to the Rays allows him to get a starting opportunity and resulted in the Dodgers adding value in the form of two intriguing pitching prospects and a replacement backup catcher.
For the Dodgers to get all three players they did in exchange Feduccia was a win, given that either of the pitchers straight up for the backstop would have been a deal worth making.
Dodgers’ return for Hunter Feduccia
Paul Gervase
Gervase (pronounced jurr-VASE) is a talented relief pitching prospect who looks to be on the verge of breaking out. He was likely the centerpiece of the deal and could become someone who both makes an impact now and in the long-term.
The 25-year-old had stellar numbers at Triple-A, throwing 40.1 innings with a 3.12 ERA while striking out a staggering 39.1% of hitters and walking just 7.5%. Gervase did have some troubles with home runs as he allowed 1.34 per nine innings, but his 18.2% home run to fly ball rate suggests some regression in that area.
Gervase made his MLB debut this season, pitching 6.1 innings for the Rays. His numbers were not great with a 4.26 ERA and a 3.3% strikeout to walk rate, but it’s an incredibly small sample that can mostly be ignored.
Gervase relies primarily on a four-seam fastball that averages 93.6 mph, but he’s topped out at 97.7 mph and has 99th percentile extension on his release. That makes his average fastball velocity appears to hitters like it’s in the upper 90s.
Gervase also mixes in a slider, cutter and sweeper, all with good movement and spin. The cutter grades out as his best pitch, and it could be something the Dodgers look to utilize more.
While with Triple-A Durham, Gervase allowed opponents to hit just .185 against him, and he doesn’t allow a lot of quality contact.
Gervase has the potential and ability to make an immediate impact for the Dodgers, but given that he’s still a prospect, they don’t have to rush him. He also has three options remaining and six years of team control.
Adam Serwinowski
Serwinowski is a left-handed starting pitcher with big stuff and minimal command, making him the type of prospect worth taking a flier on.
He primarily relies on a fastball and curveball, which both project to be quality pitches at the MLB level. Serwinowski touches the upper 90s with his fastball and his power curve has a lot of late break to it.
Serwinowski also mixes in a changeup, but it’s not a good pitch and he will need to find a third pitch to remain a starting pitcher.
The 21-year-old has a funky delivery, which helps throw hitters off, and he’s been able to generate a lot of swing and miss, striking out 27.7% of hitters in High-A. However, Serwinowski has also walked 11.7% of hitters while posting a 4.84 ERA across his 74.1 innings of work.
Serwinowski was ranked as the Reds’ No. 6 prospect by Fangraphs entering the season with the expectation he will eventually develop into a top-100 prospect with mid-rotation starter potential.
Serwinowski will not need to be added to the 40-man roster until the 2026-2027 offseason, and he now becomes one of the best pitching prospects in their farm system with only Jackson Ferris clearly ahead of him among the players yet to debut.
Ben Rortvedt
Rortvedt (pronounced rort-vet) is a backup catcher who has spent parts of four MLB seasons with the Rays, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins since making his debut in 2021.
Rortvedt hasn’t hit much, batting .186/.276/.265 with eight home runs over his 575 MLB plate appearances, but he provides quality defensive ability.
That’s the type of profile that works out well for a third catcher in the organization, and he can also help Dodgers Minor League pitchers develop. Rortvedt is set to be a free agent after this season, but he’s the type of player the Dodgers could keep around in their Minor League system to be their third catcher next year.
The 27-year-old was previously designated for assignment by the Rays and cleared waivers, so he will not take up a spot on the 40-man roster. Given an injury to Smith or Rushing, he would likely be the one added to the club with Chuckie Robinson as their other option with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
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