DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers have shifted their focus from the 2024 season to the future, making a flurry of trades during the last hour of the MLB Trade Deadline on Tuesday. The Tigers traded pitchers Jack Flaherty and Andrew Chafin, along with outfielder Mark Canha, for five prospects.
The first trade of the day saw Detroit send Chafin to the Texas Rangers in exchange for right-handers Joseph Montalvo and Chase Lee. Chafin, who had joked earlier about the nerves that accompany trade season, was traded for the fourth time in five years. It was the second trade with the Rangers in two days.
Next, the Tigers dealt Flaherty to his hometown of Los Angeles. In return, they received shortstop Trey Sweeney and catcher Thayron Liranzo.
Finally, in the last move of the day, the Tigers traded Mark Canha to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-hander Eric Silva. Let’s breakdown each player and where they may end up in the Tigers system.
RHP Joseph Montalvo (High-A West Michigan)
Montalvo, a native of Puerto Rico, was drafted by the Rangers in the 20th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Central Pointe Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Florida. He has a career 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings in his three seasons in the minors. He throws three pitches: a four-seam fastball, slider, and changeup.
According to a recent scouting report from Baseball America, he has seen an increase in velocity this season, topping out at 95 mph. His slider is in the low 80s, and his changeup, with good late fade action, is in the mid-80s. Expect an updated report from us over the next week.
6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 6 K yesterday for Joseph Montalvo.
Montalvo has a 2.77 ERA in his first 6 starts and 26 IP this season. pic.twitter.com/RwKqQ5YJyp
— Rangers Player Development (@TEXPlayerDev) May 19, 2024
RHP Chase Lee (Toledo)
Lee is just returning to pitching after missing the first half of the season with a torn labrum in his hip. Similar to Joseph, he was also drafted in the 2o21 Draft, in the 6th round out of the University of Alabama. As Jerry points out, he throws a fastball at 89MPH but has a spin rate of 2800 RPM with his slider, that generates a 36.2% whiff rate.
Chase Lee vs Dodgers #Rangers pic.twitter.com/wMg3bvhWWf
— Tytan Media (@tytan_media) April 3, 2022
SS Trey Sweeney (Toledo)
The left-handed hitting Sweeney moves to his second organization within a year after being drafted in the first round by the Yankees in 2021. Sweeney is hitting .254/.334/.427 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. He projects to be a utility bat, which Detroit seems to have quite a few of in their system. Sweeney has a good, compact stroke and is rated as a solid defender, although several reports indicate he lacks the range to play shortstop long term. Per Evan Woodbery of Mlive, he will be heading to Toledo.
There are several metrics that show he has above average power in Triple-A.
Trey Sweeney is becoming the Trey Sweeney that many of us thought the Dodgers were getting when they traded for him.
Good defender with a sweet left-handed stroke that should produce a ton of line drives and a good amount of consistency.
He has hits in 8 games in a row, has… pic.twitter.com/eQTbPDMStZ
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) July 25, 2024
Catcher Thayron Liranzo (West Michigan)
Liranzo hit 20 home runs at Single-A last season, but those power numbers have not translated over at Great Lakes, the High-A affiliate for the Dodgers. The switch-hitting catcher rates as a solid receiver with a good arm behind the plate. He has a good eye at the plate, averaging a 15% walk rate this season, and gets on base with a wRC+ of 106. While his batting average has faced criticism, he has a BABIP of .291.
There is some upside to work with but just a matter of consistency at this point.
Thayron Liranzo – C (Flaherty Trade) #Tigers
A switch hitting catcher with massive raw power, Liranzo’s 90th% exit velocity of 108 mph is the highest in the Tigers org. Below average hit tool, but borderline plus plate discipline. Glove has come along, catch/throw still needs… pic.twitter.com/m8LcCzqZxI
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) July 30, 2024
RHP Eric Silva (Toledo)
Silva was drafted in 2021 in the 4th round out of JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan, California. He throws five pitches, a two, and four seam fastball, slider, change, and a curve.
Eric Silva punches out the side in order in the ninth 😤 pic.twitter.com/RGfGKCv9UP
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 28, 2024
Final thoughts:
Based on various prospect lists, Detroit should have gotten more for Jack Flaherty on paper. Of the recent pickups, Sweeney may be the only one to see time in Detroit. The hope is that Detroit continues to address depth at the big league level in the offseason. However, the patience of the fan base is running thin, especially after seeing teams like the Royals and Pirates, normally sellers at the trade deadline, making different moves.
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Chris Brown