Reds & Braves
Submitted by: Jurdson
Reds
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Contreras | 23 | Majors | C | Medium | 6 | 14.9 | 5.7 | 9.2 | 7.4 | 9.2 | 11.1 | |
| Bryce Elder | Minors | RHP | 4.1 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 4.9 | ||||||
| Luke Jackson | 29 | Majors | RHRP | Medium | 1 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1 | |
| Cristian Pache | 22 | Majors | OF | Medium | 6 | 8.1 | 0.6 | 7.5 | 6 | 7.5 | 9 |
Total Value:
21.5
Braves
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse Winker | 27 | Majors | OF | Medium | 2 | 36.1 | 17 | 19.1 | 15.3 | 19.1 | 22.9 |
Total Value:
19.1
Comments
6Don't need a C at this, and too pricy for a backup.
The only value I see in this one is Pache. Check out his scouting report in the "Top 30 Prospects" section of the Braves website for details. To summarize briefly: Braves #1 prospect. He grades out at: Hit 50/80, Power 50/80, Run 70/80, Arm 70/80, Field 80/80. He is the long term answer for CF for the Reds, if he continues to progress as a hitter. He is already a gold-glove defender...better than Siani(!) and Friedl defensively. Reds could play Naquin (RF) and Winker/Senzel (DH/LF) with Friedl and Siani to man 2 additional OF slots. Adding an additional COF RH hitter would complete the OF (from Braves - Duvall). Is Pache the best alternative? IMO - no, but he is better than what Reds have now. I'd choose Adell or Hays over him, but if I'm looking to trade with Braves, he's in the package. Winker is not, because it would leave Reds without his bat.
Yeah he was supposed to be a star, but now he's down to one option year and hasn't come close to hitting at the MLB level. That kind of puts him in Victor Robles territory, where he's a great fielder but the hitting hasn't showed up, so he is kind of in limbo because he's running out of time to establish himself as a regular. Not that having Pache's defense in a part-time role would be bad, I guess. Just not at the cost of the one good outfielder the Reds have. Honestly, if the Reds wanted, it's possible they could swing an outfield of Winker/Hays/Adell or Winker/Pache/Hays or something like that. Would probably cost them Gray and Hendrick, maybe Lodolo. Would have to hope the rotation held up. I don't know enough about what Atlanta is looking for though.
If the Reds bring in no new OF options, their best OF is Winker/Senzel/Naquin. Biggest concern: they all three dealt with injuries in 2021. I fully agree with your assessment of Pache: good defense, weak hitter, good backup OF. I would argue he has not demonstrated that he is better than Siani or Friedl. So the Reds already have what he would add. IMO Senzel is best suited as #4 OF option until/if he demonstrates he can stay healthy for a whole season. The #4 option gives him the best opportunity to do so. So Senzel, Siani, and Friedl gives the Reds a solid 4,5&6 in their OF. Let's look at Winker - He has demonstrated he can contribute in LF both offensively and defensibly. He's not a gifted defender, but he's adequate. He can also DH to fit need for a day off or matchups. Naquin showed he can play CF or LF successfully. He has a good arm and plays better than average defense. He's also a left handed bat, but throws right-handed. If the Reds do not add an outside outfielder, I like Naquin in LF with Siani in CF. (I read an article just this morning on Siani working on his hitting in MiLB camp. Not a terrible OF alignment, probably better defensively. Looking at add ons, the best options IMO are Adell and Hays. Looking at the Halos, they don't have an abundance of quality ML-ready OFs either. They have a couple in the near future but not for 2022. So a trade with them would need to include a good OF option. A three team trade may be needed to secure Adell, but Gray and a near prospect might do it. Gray would help their rotation a lot IMO. What would it take to get Hays from the O's? The Orioles need a lot more than the Angels do. Let's look at this option and any others you may think would work, focusing on a CF option to start. IMO another corner OF add would only confuse things. Remember that whatever we choose to pursue would need to be better than Senzel/Siani platoon.
Just became aware that Mike Siani played at high-A Dayton in 2021. IMO he is not best served by being in the Reds OF rotation in 2022. I read in an article today that he is working on his hitting in MiL ST and making some progress. He needs to play every day if he is to progress on hitting. He won't get that opportunity with the Reds. I would amend para 5 above to indicate Friedl would platoon with Senzel in CF with the roster the Reds now have. A trade seems even more advised than before IMO.
NEWSLETTER? SURE, SIGN ME UP!
Yep, the Reds need a better backup catcher than Knapp or Okey or whoever, but this isn't the likely route to get one. This was more of a take on the trades to Atlanta that involved Winker. I just don't really see any package from them that I would like as a Reds fan.