I am going to call BS on this Acee article. The Padres ownership has made significant long term investments in the club to the tune of $444 million in the past 2 years and they are not going to be trading away any valuable major league pieces that are under long term control. That would include Renfroe. Reyes, and Hedges.
Franchy Cordero is striking out at an alarming rate in the minors after striking out at a 43% rate in the majors. He is not a long term solution for the Padres. They certainly would not trade Renfroe or Reyes to make room for him.
While the Padres do need a backup catcher that can hit, Mejia is not the answer at catcher, although he might be in the OF. He leads the PCL in passed balls even though he has only been there a few weeks. There are 7 teams in the PCL that have the same or less passed balls in 67-68 games this season than Mejia has in just 16 games. His CERA is nearly 2 runs higher that of Rivas or Austin Allen while Allen was in AAA. He had thrown out just one of 7 runners in AAA and 2 of 12 in the majors going into last night’s game. In his time in the majors he was one of the worst pitch framers in the game. That is a player that is destined for the OF or DH. What Mejia might be is a good trade chip. He was a top 25 prospect to start 2019.
The guys that should be/need to be traded, probably can’t be moved right now. Wil Myers is struggling and has a NL high strike out rate of 36%. Interestingly enough, entering last nights game he led the Padres in strike out rate and OBP. He has played quite a bit of CF, but is better suited to LF. Kinsler, while he has been hot in June (.313/.353/.500/.853), is hitting just .210 for the season. Margot is struggling and has no extra base hits since April. He needs a change of scenery, but it would be hard to trade a player with a .572 OPS.
What the Padres do have a surplus of and what they will have to part with to get the top of the rotation starter they need and to get a LHB to play CF is prospects. The Padres came into the season with 55+ prospects that were considered at least a possibility to make the majors. 55 prospects that would make any teams top 30 prospects lists. No other team had that many valuable prospects.
There are a few prospects that they will definitely not trade. Tatis will only be considered a prospect for a few more games. He is untouchable. Gore and Urias are likewise untouchable. I saw Gore in his last two starts and if he was called up today, he would be the best starter on the Padres. Mid to upper 90s FB from the left side with impeccable command. 2 other plus plus pitches and a developing change up. Urias has a 70 grade bat that is matched by few in baseball and he plays plus defense at both middle infield positions. All that is in his way today is regular playing time in the majors, which the Padres cannot give him with both Kinsler and Garcia on the roster.
The Padres may also be reluctant to part with 19 year old Patino (high A) and 20 year old Morejon (AA). Two pitchers that would be in the top 2 or 3 on most teams prospect lists. To get a top of the rotation starter the Padres may be forced to deal one of Patino or Morejon.
Even if they choose not to include Patino or Morejon in trade talks, the Padres have 5 other prospects in the top 100. Pitchers Logan Allen, Michel Baez, and Ryan Weathers plus Xavier Edwards and Josh Naylor. Quantrill is not in the top 100 prospects, but was the 8th overall pick in 2016 and has already shown promise in a handful of starts in the majors this season. Mejia started the season as a top 25 prospect and certainly would be on the trading block now as well. The Padres have enough top notch quality prospects to trade for the pieces they need. They do not have to rob Peter to pay Paul by moving any of the long term controlled, better players they have in the majors.
That is my take. Now what do you think?
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