The Braves have a glut of RHP at MLB/AAA and organizational CF defensive talent. I want AA to turn that surplus into Realmuto, Gallo and Bumgarner before pitchers and catchers report next month. I trust these moves will provide an immediate window of 2019-2023 championship contenders, while also setting the Braves up with the financial flexibility next offseason to sign one of the 2020 big name FA pitchers if none of the remaining young guys below make the jump to the front of the rotation this year.
Transactions (Using approximately the Fangraphs prospect valuation)
Trade for Bumgarner = Teheran + Wentz (FV 50 $15M) + FV45
Trade for Gallo = Kyle Wright (FV 55, $42M) +Allard (FV 50 $15M) + FV45
Trade for Realmuto = Pache (FV60 $53M) + Bryce Wilson (FV50 $22M) + Alex Jackson (45FV)/(Tyler Flowers if needed instead)
Move Albies to SS, Camargo to 2B
Rotation
RHP Folty (Thru 2021)
LHP Bumgarner (Thru 2019)
RHP Gausman (Thru 2020)
LHP Newcomb (Thru 2023)
RHP Soroka (FV 55 $43M; 2024)
Depth
LHP Gohara (FV 55 $39M; 2024)
RHP Touki (FV 50 $28M; 2024)
Bullpen
RHP Viz (2019)
LHP Minter (2023)
LHP Fried (2024)
RHP Winkler (2020)
RHP O’Day (2019)
LHP Venters (2019)
RHP Sobotka (2024)
LHP Biddle (2023)
RHP Carle
2019 Lineup (and Team control)(projected OPS) vs. LHP
- LF Acuna R (Thru 2024) (1.000 OPS)
- 3B Donaldson R (Thru 2019) (.900 OPS) Riley R (2019-2025) (.850 OPS)
- 1B Freeman L (Thru 2021) (.900 OPS)
- SS Albies R (Thru 2023) (.900 OPS )
- RF Gallo L (Thru 2023) (OBP .279/.541/.820 OPS)
- C Realmuto R (Thru 2020)(.775 OPS ) Contreras R (2021-2026) (.730 OPS)
- 2B Camargo R (Thru 2023) (.775 OPS)
- CF Inciarte L (Thru 2021 team option 22)(.700 OPS) / Duval R (.800 OPS)
2019 Vs. RHP
- Acuna R (.950 OPS)
- Donaldson R (.900 OPS)
- Freeman L (1.000 OPS)
- Gallo L (.850 OPS)
- Realmuto R (.825 OPS )
- Camargo L (.775 OPS)
- Albies L (.750 OPS )
- Inciarte L (.740 OPS)
2019 Bench
- SS Swanson R
- C/1B McCann L
- OF Duvall R
- C Flowers R (2020)
- UTIL Culberson R/ Other LH signing
Great bench Defense; Enough bat out of this crowd to have steady DH/pinch hitting, though I'd like some more LH power
Minors
Hitters
3B Riley-RHH (FV55 $43M) to fill in for Donaldson in 2019/2020
OF Waters- Switch (FV50 $28M) for Inciarte/Duval in 2021
C Contreras (FV 50 $14M) for Realmuto in 2021 if no extension, for Flowers if extension for Realmuto
Pitchers
RHP Anderson (FV 55 $40M)
LHP Muller (FV 50, $4 Million)
RHP Beck
RHP Trey Riley
RHP Tarnok
LHP Burrows
RHP Ynoa
RHP Weigel
The Braves will need to hit on the #9 pick in 2019, as they won’t be seeing that high of a pick come along in future drafts with this team.
2019 will be great. Elite Lineup, Competitive top 3 for playoff rotation with depth and deep bullpen. Good depth especially at catcher and infield. Legitimate contenders. Financial flexibility
2020 will be great if: young pitchers or Big FA Pitching can replace Bumgarner, Viz, and bullpen depth. Lineup still elite. Defense still elite.
2021 will be great if: Contreras contributes like his brother or Realmuto is extended; with general good health and good FA bench signings
2022 will be great if: Braves can extend or replace (how could we ever?!) Freddie.
2023 would be the last hurrah for this current crop of position players as currently constituted.
Any better use of prospects this offseason? Time to Chop Chop, AA!