Trade Talk: Adam Frazier Blockbuster to the White Sox
The MLB Trade Deadline is a day earlier this year on July 30th, and teams are scrambling to acquire talent. Whether it be that you're a buyer and looking for guys to help you now, or a seller who is looking to add to the future, your goal is the same, acquire as much talent as you can. The Pittsburgh Pirates fall into the seller's category and have already made some minor moves this season. However, the Pirates are one of those teams that are expected to be very active on the seller's market, and one of the players with the most rumors going around is second baseman, Adam Frazier. Frazier only has one more year of control left with the Pirates and has the most potential to bring talent into the organization. And, one of the teams that have shown the most interest in Frazier is the Chicago White Sox.
With the Pirates looking to maximize their return on players, today we propose a blockbuster deal between the two teams. Cherington made one already this off-season when he traded Joe Musgrove to San Diego for five players and there is no stopping him from pulling off another one. The main thing the Pirates are looking for is young, controllable, talent that can be a part of this team's future. Anyone who has a timetable of 2023 to 2025 is on the table we Cherington looks to build on what is the #3 farm system in baseball. This trade would make a huge splash on the market and would benefit both teams, giving the White Sox some pieces to compete right now and the Pirates pieces to compete down the line. Today, we propose a seven-player blockbuster deal that sees a lot of players getting a start in a new organization.
The Trade: The Pittsburgh Pirates trade 2B Adam Frazier, Util. Wilmer Difo, and LHP Chasen Shreve to the Chicago White Sox for OF Andrew Vaughn, RHP Andrew Dalquist, OF James Beard, and IF Bryan Ramos
Pirates Get: OF Andrew Vaughn
The biggest piece in this deal coming back to Pittsburgh would be 23-year-old outfielder Andrew Vaughn. He was the White Sox top prospect before he graduated prospect status earlier this season. Vaughn is having a strong rookie season hitting .247 with 10 how runs and 47 RBI in 263 at-bats. He has a lot of raw power behind him and has racked up 29 extra-base hits including 19 doubles. However, despite his success, he has been a pretty under the radar type player. He isn't a big speed guy, but his defense plays well as a corner outfielder and could slide right in next to Bryan Reynolds in that Pirates outfield. One of the things he has to work on is his strikeout rate, which is up to just over 26%, but as long as he can continue to hit the ball hard he will find success at the Big League level.
After struggling in both May and June, Vaughn has put together the best month of his young career. He has hit a tidy .288 with three home runs, eight RBI, and seven total extra-base hits in 17 games played. He has dropped his strikeout rate to 13.5% this month and is slugging .508 in July. He has a learning curve to go through during his rookie season, but one thing he brings that the Pirates desperately need is power. As a team, the Pirates only have one-hitter with more than 10 home runs and desperately need someone who can hit the long ball. Vaughn provides that ability and can toy with that left-field foul pole, and use the big notch to rack up the extra-base hits. It would give the Pirates another core player to build around as they try to bring winning baseball back to Pittsburgh.
Pirates Get: RHP Andrew Dalquist
In the 2019 MLB Draft, the Chicago White Sox went big on high- upside high school arms. One of those arms was 20-year-old RHP Andrew Dalquist, who is currently the White Sox #5 overall prospect. He got his start in the Arizona Rookie League in 2019 and performed really well in a really short sample size. He threw three scoreless innings, allowing two hits while walking two and striking out two. However, his momentum was halted due to the pandemic, and hasn't been able to recover that momentum. In 2021, he has spent the season with Low-A Kannapolis and has gone 1-6 with a 6.26 ERA over 41.2 innings of work. His command of his pitches is ok, but the big problem is he isn't missing bats.
However, his current stats can be a little deceiving after suffering through his worst start of the season last time out. He lasted just 3.2 innings on July 16th and was tagged for seven runs, six earned, while walking two and striking out three. If you take away that start, his ERA drops almost 100 points to 5.44. In his 13 starts this season, he has allowed two earned runs or less nine times and three earned runs or less 10 times. After the pandemic, the White Sox are being very careful with his workload, and he has only gone 5.0 innings once this season. His strikeout numbers are good, 47 in 41.2 innings of work, he just has to focus on changing speeds and missing bats to move up the Minor League ladder.
Pirates Get: OF James Beard
If you are looking for an outfielder with speed, look no further than 2019 draft pick James Beard. Best was the fastest player in the 2019 draft and got a rare 80 grade for speed, drawing comparisons with Billy Hamilton. However, Beard is a very unpolished hitter at the plate and is still trying to get on base enough where that speed can be a threat. This season in Low-A Kannapolis, Beard is hitting just .183 with two home runs and eight RBI. However, his on-base percentage is sitting at a healthy .324 thanks to his strong eye at the plate. His strikeouts are a big hindrance to his success, as he goes down at a 35.6% clip. Defensively, Beard glides across the field and has a decent arm with two outfield assists. He needs to work on his plate discipline, but he has a chance to be a string singles hitter who can use his speed as a weapon on the basepaths.
Pirates Get: IF Bryan Ramos
With the Pirates drafting Henry Davis in 2021, catcher suddenly isn't a position with as big a need as before. Now, the Pirates are looking for power hitters, and the White Sox might have that in Bryan Ramos. Ramos is a corner infielder in Low-A Ball, who in 67 games is hitting .230 with nine home runs and 40 RBI. He is tied for the team lead in home runs in Kannapolis, and is second in doubles (15). However, like many other power hitters, a high strikeout rate is a problem for Ramos, as he goes down at a 23.5% clip. However, unlike most power hitters, Ramos does possess a good eye at the plate with a walk rate of 11.5%. Ramos can play anywhere around the diamond, and one of his beta positions is first base. He would give the Pirates another first base prospect that possesses power to create competition with Mason Martin.
Chicago White Sox Get: 2B Adam Frazier, Util. Wilmer Difo, LHP Chasen Shreve
On the White Sox side of the deal, they are getting three major pieces that can help them right now. Obviously the biggest piece is Adam Frazier, who would step right in as the White Sox starting second baseman. He is hitting a career-best .327 and is competing for the National League batting title. He would step in at the top of the White Sox order and would help set the table for the middle of the order with Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson. Wilmer Difo would add a bench bat that can play all over the field and give some guys a much-needed day off. The final piece is a strong left-handed reliever in Chasen Shreve, who has pitched to a 2.04 ERA. You can never have enough good left-handed pitching, and Shreve would add another strong arm to a bullpen that has a 4.04 ERA this season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (36-60) are back in action tomorrow when they take on the San Francisco Giants (60-35) at 9:45 pm. Chad Kuhl (3-5, 4.31) looks to stay hot for the Pirates against Johnny Cueto (6-5, 4.01). You can watch the game live on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter by following @Buccos_Cove.
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