As reported yesterday, the Los Angeles Angels were said to have been looking for a cost-controlled third baseman to succeed David Freese. The team addressed that need on Thursday in a trade with the Atlanta Braves.
Los Angeles sent 17-year-old prospect pitcher Ricardo Sanchez to Atlanta in exchange for third baseman Kyle Kubitza and pitcher Nate Hyatt. According to Baseball America, Sanchez was the No. 2 ranked prospect in the Angels' farm system and Kubitza was ranked No. 10 in the Braves'. Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com, who reported the initial news of the Angels looking for a prospect third baseman, noted last night that general manager Jerry Dipoto believes Kubitza will be a part of the major league roster in 2015.
Angels' third baseman David Freese is entering his third year of arbitration-eligibility and is scheduled to hit free agency after this season. Gonzalez mentioned the team isn't interested in extending him beyond 2015, likely because he'll be 33 once the beginning of the 2016 season rolls around. The 24-year-old Kubitza will seemingly take over at third base once Freese is gone, whether that's before this year's trade deadline or at the start of the 2016 season. The former third round pick slashed .295/.405/.470 with 76 runs scored, eight home runs, 55 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 132 games at Double-A Mississippi.
Los Angeles also received Hyatt, a 24-year-old reliever who spent last season at Advanced Class-A Lynchburg. The right-hander owns a 9-7 record with a 2.88 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 21 saves and 165 strikeouts in 98 career games in the minors (134 1/3 innings). At some point he could become a good piece to help improve the Angels' bullpen, which ranked 14th in ERA (3.52) last season.
As for the Braves, they'll get Sanchez, who has a while before he reaches the majors. Although he was the No. 2 ranked prospect for the Angels, the team could afford to part ways with him because nine of their top 10 prospects are pitchers, with the exception of second baseman Alex Yarbrough. The Venezuelan signed with Los Angeles in 2013 and spent 2014 in the organization's rookie league, posting a 2-2 record with a 3.49 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 12 games (9 starts).
Here is the scouting report on Sanchez from Baseball America:
"Sanchez has a smooth, natural delivery that belies his age and experience level, but he needs more consistency in repeating it. The ball comes out of his hand effortlessly and he can spin a 70-75 mph curveball that projects to be a plus pitch. His fastball was in the 94-95 mph range at times after he arrived in the U.S., though the AZL coaching staff had him dial it back a bit in order to better command it. Sanchez needs to improve his 82-85 mph changeup so as not to rely on the breaking ball as much, and he's slowly been developing more of a feel for the pitch."
We might see by as early as this season how the trade worked out for Los Angeles. It'll take a few more years for Atlanta.
