Finalized.
Mookie Betts is finally going to Los Angeles. Sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that a deal has been agreed upon to send the 2018 MVP to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a package that includes outfielder Alex Verdugo, shortstop Jeter Downs and catcher Connor Wong going to the Boston Red Sox.
Unreal. These two prospects are about as average as average gets. There is nothing special about either.
So former MVP, 4 time All-Star, 4 time Gold Glover, 3 time Silver Slugger and World Champion at 27 years old
Plus
A former Cy Young, five time All-Star, a pitcher with a 150-80 overall record and a World Champion
Plus
$50 million
For one good prospect and two average ones, all three with very limited upside.
Nice job Sox.
not at all nick, not at all. these two prospects (Downs & Wong) are better than most Sox prospects. Downs is one of the better prospects in all of baseball. here is some info on them...
8. Jeter Downs, SSDOB: 7/27/1998
Height/Weight: 5’11” / 180 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 32nd overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2017 draft, Monsignor Edward Pace HS (Miami, FL), signed for $1,822,500.
Previous Ranking(s): #12 (Org)
2019 Stats: .269/.354/.507, 19 HR, 23 SB in 107 games for High-A Rancho Cucamonga; .333/.429/.688, 5 HR, 1 SB in 12 games for Double-A Tulsa
The Report: The second prospect coming back to the sunshine state for Yasiel Puig last winter, Downs showed a solid power-and-speed combination from the shortstop position in his age-20 season. He led the California League with 33 doubles, then continued to rake during a cameo at Double-A, tying off his season with a three-homer game in the Texas League playoffs. After a pull-happy first half, Downs made adjustments to better utilize the opposite field in the second half, and both the hit and game power tools flourished. There isn’t really a carrying tool in the offensive toolbag; he’s got a decent approach and there’s solid-average pop, but he stills cuts off the outer half too often. He’s an above-average runner whose instincts play amplify his baserunning skill and should allow him to continue stealing bases at a solid clip. Defensively, the athletic 5-foot-10 middle infielder has good mobility and receptive hands, along with a 50-grade arm that is reasonable enough to cut it at the six, if not ideal for the role. It’s more comfortable as a second base projection, but he should be able to stay up the middle and add occasional shortstop utility. The bat will lead him to the big leagues, however, and while the Dodgers’ depth may delay Downs’ debut, he should be scratching at the major league door by 2021.
OFP: 55 / Sum-of-parts middle infielder with potential to produce above-average value
Variance: Medium-to-High.The bat-to-ball consistency will dictate whether he’s a toolsy bench asset or an everyday contributor. —Brandon Williams
Major league ETA: 2021
Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Downs might actually be a better dynasty prospect than an IRL one thanks to his power and speed combo. That being said, I’m lower on him than some of my dynasty-loving colleagues, as I think he has utility infielder written all over him if he stays in this org. Downs is more interesting than most players with this profile because of the potential for modest contributions in every category but average. Even so, the upside remains fairly modest.
16. Connor Wong, C (Double-A Tulsa)Wong has interesting physical and defensive profiles that offset some severe flaws enough to make him a fun wildcard in the system. The right/right catcher is 23 and just finished terrorizing Double-A in a short 40-game stint after spending the better part of two seasons at High-A.
Wong has excellent coordination that allows him to make hard line drive contact consistently, but the combination of an extreme arm bar, aggressive approach, and trouble recognizing breaking balls lead to outlandishly high strikeout rates that threaten to derail the offensive profile. The arm bar helps him generate power, but it also creates huge holes up and on the inner third. He’s athletic enough to bet on an ability to integrate mechanical changes, but there’s work ahead.
Defensively, Wong has solid hands behind the plate, and while he doesn’t always have a smooth path to the ball, he performs well enough vertically and on the edges of the zone to add some value with his receiving. He has good footwork on blocks and a quick transition out of the crouch, which helps an average arm to play. The organization has flirted with second- and third-base reps for him, as well.
Wong currently projects to a tandem catching role at the major league level if he can shorten up the upper half of his swing and continue to bring his pop into games against experienced arms. —Kevin Carter
please check out this thread on SoSH:
https://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/betts-price-to-la-for-alex-verdugo-jeter-downs-and-connor-wong.29611/there are some excellent posts and analyses going on there. plus, the trade was about more than the prospects. here is a quote from SoSH....
Trading Mookie who has clearly demonstrated going to Free Agency was priority #1 resulted in:
- Alex Verdugo, 23 year OF, 5 years of control, .800+ OPS potential
- Jeter Downs, SS/2B, Top 50 MLB prospect, power-hitting middle infielder, 5+ years of control
- Connor Wong, C, solid prospect (#27 in Dodgers system), probably best C prospect now in Sox system (and likely top 10 overall in Sox system)
- Getting out of David Price 3 years, $96 million commitment -- taking on $48 million instead over 3 years
- Getting below the luxury tax line -- saves $$$, draft picks, and international slot signing $
- Roughly $20 million in "cap space" to go after another 1-2 impact players for 2020
Nick ... read the thread, really. even if your mind is not changed, it will make you see the entire deal in a different light and you will understand it more fully.