January 21, 2026 6:02 PM PST
Last week, we broke down the early trade deadline deals. Lets finish things up. For the smart alecks in the audience, we are relaxing our definition of big hype to accommodate timely analysis. Five Big Hype Prospects , 22, OF, NYM (AA) (A+/AA) 321 PA, 12 HR, 10 SB, .277/.367/.461 Acquired in the trade, Gilbert looks the part of a future core-performing outfielder. The Astros took him with the 28th pick of the 2022 draft, and hes already within spitting distance of the Majors. The overall profile doesnt read as particularly impactful, instead filling a high-floor, modest-ceiling bucket. While that isnt an exciting review of Gilberts skills, hes still viewed as a Top 100 prospect with some support for a Top 50 ranking. High-probability 2-WAR athletes are widely coveted around the league. Defensive reviews vary. Some evaluators prefer him in a corner, but he seemingly has the skills to stick in center if a better defender isnt already on hand. , 24, SP, CWS (AA) (A/AA) 41.1 IP, 10.9 K/9, 5.4 BB/9, 4.35 ERA The return for , Marco Estrada Jersey Eder was on the fast track in 2021 before requiring UCL replacement. He was well on his way to a Top 25 prospect ranking. Alas, his stuff has backed up since returning, and his command shed a grade as well. At his best, the southpaw had a carrying fastball, a lethal slider, and a show-me changeup. Reports indicate hes lost his arm slot which affected his stuff. Hes also lost velocity, further diminishing his stuff. More distance from surgery could be the cure. If hes in search of development, my contacts recommend he follow s lead and seek help from a third party. His new org is not well-regarded by outside evaluators. Theres now considerable relief risk and not nece sarily sexy high-leverage kind. Still, he was among the best pitchers on the planet only a few years ago. He could yet recover. , 19, 1B/OF, NYM (A+) (A/A+) 320 PA, 19 HR, 4 SB, .284/.394/.513 The other piece of the Verlander trade, Clifford might turn out to be the best hitter dealt at the deadline a suming he connects enough to catch on at higher levels. Hes a slow runner, and he struggles against fastballs at the top of the zone. Considering even most sinkerballers have a high fastball in their repertoire these days, its not a great time to bring that swing back to the Majors. That said, he punishes anything low in the zone, including breaking balls. Power is Cliffords carrying trait. If he ever maintains a permanent Major League role, it will be on the back of 30-homer power. The Astros had him working on his pa sivity at High-A, and it seemed to be going well. Well see how the Mets approach his development. , 20, SS, CLE (A+) 255 PA, 7 HR, 14 SB, .203/.333/.364 One of the top prep shortstop prospects in the 2021 draft, Watsons development has stagnated in the Marlins system. Inconsistent strike zone judgment and a 12.5 percent swinging strike rate are to blame. The Guardians are known for their love of disciplined, contact-oriented athletes. Ostensibly, they know how to train these traits. There are fully substantiated reports regarding his makeup you can google them if you want which the Guardians will need to addre s. Its fair to remember not every 20-year-old athlete is an old soul with a zen attitude. Some guys are fiery and later learn to channel it. In any event, Watsons athleticism remains on display. He should be considered extremely raw. , 20, SS, WSH (A+) 300 PA, 3 HR, 3 SB, .240/.328/.355 In recent years, weve gotten used to watching meteoric rises within every farm system. The busine s of prospecting is booming. Still, some guys take a longer path to the bigs. Made looks like one of these. Hes an able defensive shortstop who should remain at the position. Tool grades on his bat generally come in around the 45- to 55-grade range. He has plus discipline without the usual case of pa sivitis . Theres a high probability utility man floor here with potential for a starting role likely of the second-division variety. For now, he needs to mature into more physicality without losing a step. Three More , CWS (23) : Sent to the White Sox in the Lynn/Kelly trade, Nastrini features two above average breaking balls and a quality heater. Hes a fly ball pitcher with below average command. I view him as a future reliever, but plenty of better evaluators give him a shot at sticking in the rotation. , DET (20) : Lee has hit at every stop. His defensive limitations hes a second-baseman only and modest pop lead to an awkward fit in the current meta. At the top end of the spectrum, comparable defenders like and hit enough to force their way into the lineup. By the time Lee is ready, Detroit will have some practice with this defensive profile courtesy of . , STL (21) : Robberse doesnt turn heads, but he has all the traits teams look for in under-the-radar innings eaters. He features a plus changeup and a deep repertoire of otherwise slightly below average offerings. His command has potential to be plus and will help decide how far he travels along a -like path. Did I mi s a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections. Roy Halladay Jersey
Last week, we broke down the early trade deadline deals. Lets finish things up. For the smart alecks in the audience, we are relaxing our definition of big hype to accommodate timely analysis. Five Big Hype Prospects , 22, OF, NYM (AA) (A+/AA) 321 PA, 12 HR, 10 SB, .277/.367/.461 Acquired in the trade, Gilbert looks the part of a future core-performing outfielder. The Astros took him with the 28th pick of the 2022 draft, and hes already within spitting distance of the Majors. The overall profile doesnt read as particularly impactful, instead filling a high-floor, modest-ceiling bucket. While that isnt an exciting review of Gilberts skills, hes still viewed as a Top 100 prospect with some support for a Top 50 ranking. High-probability 2-WAR athletes are widely coveted around the league. Defensive reviews vary. Some evaluators prefer him in a corner, but he seemingly has the skills to stick in center if a better defender isnt already on hand. , 24, SP, CWS (AA) (A/AA) 41.1 IP, 10.9 K/9, 5.4 BB/9, 4.35 ERA The return for , Marco Estrada Jersey Eder was on the fast track in 2021 before requiring UCL replacement. He was well on his way to a Top 25 prospect ranking. Alas, his stuff has backed up since returning, and his command shed a grade as well. At his best, the southpaw had a carrying fastball, a lethal slider, and a show-me changeup. Reports indicate hes lost his arm slot which affected his stuff. Hes also lost velocity, further diminishing his stuff. More distance from surgery could be the cure. If hes in search of development, my contacts recommend he follow s lead and seek help from a third party. His new org is not well-regarded by outside evaluators. Theres now considerable relief risk and not nece sarily sexy high-leverage kind. Still, he was among the best pitchers on the planet only a few years ago. He could yet recover. , 19, 1B/OF, NYM (A+) (A/A+) 320 PA, 19 HR, 4 SB, .284/.394/.513 The other piece of the Verlander trade, Clifford might turn out to be the best hitter dealt at the deadline a suming he connects enough to catch on at higher levels. Hes a slow runner, and he struggles against fastballs at the top of the zone. Considering even most sinkerballers have a high fastball in their repertoire these days, its not a great time to bring that swing back to the Majors. That said, he punishes anything low in the zone, including breaking balls. Power is Cliffords carrying trait. If he ever maintains a permanent Major League role, it will be on the back of 30-homer power. The Astros had him working on his pa sivity at High-A, and it seemed to be going well. Well see how the Mets approach his development. , 20, SS, CLE (A+) 255 PA, 7 HR, 14 SB, .203/.333/.364 One of the top prep shortstop prospects in the 2021 draft, Watsons development has stagnated in the Marlins system. Inconsistent strike zone judgment and a 12.5 percent swinging strike rate are to blame. The Guardians are known for their love of disciplined, contact-oriented athletes. Ostensibly, they know how to train these traits. There are fully substantiated reports regarding his makeup you can google them if you want which the Guardians will need to addre s. Its fair to remember not every 20-year-old athlete is an old soul with a zen attitude. Some guys are fiery and later learn to channel it. In any event, Watsons athleticism remains on display. He should be considered extremely raw. , 20, SS, WSH (A+) 300 PA, 3 HR, 3 SB, .240/.328/.355 In recent years, weve gotten used to watching meteoric rises within every farm system. The busine s of prospecting is booming. Still, some guys take a longer path to the bigs. Made looks like one of these. Hes an able defensive shortstop who should remain at the position. Tool grades on his bat generally come in around the 45- to 55-grade range. He has plus discipline without the usual case of pa sivitis . Theres a high probability utility man floor here with potential for a starting role likely of the second-division variety. For now, he needs to mature into more physicality without losing a step. Three More , CWS (23) : Sent to the White Sox in the Lynn/Kelly trade, Nastrini features two above average breaking balls and a quality heater. Hes a fly ball pitcher with below average command. I view him as a future reliever, but plenty of better evaluators give him a shot at sticking in the rotation. , DET (20) : Lee has hit at every stop. His defensive limitations hes a second-baseman only and modest pop lead to an awkward fit in the current meta. At the top end of the spectrum, comparable defenders like and hit enough to force their way into the lineup. By the time Lee is ready, Detroit will have some practice with this defensive profile courtesy of . , STL (21) : Robberse doesnt turn heads, but he has all the traits teams look for in under-the-radar innings eaters. He features a plus changeup and a deep repertoire of otherwise slightly below average offerings. His command has potential to be plus and will help decide how far he travels along a -like path. Did I mi s a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections. Roy Halladay Jersey