By Christopher Saunders
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has worked some magic during the regular season acquiring key assets to replenish the farm system. In all, Cashman has acquired fourteen prospects via trade since the Aug. 1st trade deadline. The latest, Albert Abreu and Jorge Guzman join a haul meant to support the next great Yankees run.
Late Thursday afternoon, the Yankees traded catcher/DH Brian McCann to the Astros for two pitching prospects. one of them, Albert Abreu — a Houston Top 10 prospect — is the more highly regarded of the two. J.J Cooper of Baseball America explains he throws a live fastball that occasionally nears the triple-digits.
With a four-pitch arsenal, Abreu, perhaps, has a chance to stick the Yankees as a starter. But he only just turned 21 years of age and has struggled with his command last year at the Class A and High-A levels.
The other pitcher in the deal is right handed pitcher Jorge Guzman, who has even more velocity with his heater ticking up to 102-103 mph at times.
Cooper notes, though, that he’s more effective when he’s operating at a slightly lower velocity,in his case, the upper-nineties. While the long-term outlook suggests that Guzman will end up in the pen, he is said to have a promising slider and also a change-up that’s in the works.
The 20-year-old has yet to move past Rookie ball, but showed big strikeout ability (12.2 K/9) in his time in the Gulf Coast and Appalachian leagues last year.
In order for this deal to occur, however, McCann had to signed off on the deal, his agent B.B. Abbott told NJ Advance Media early Thursday evening. Reasoning McCann signed off was because it gives him a chance to “play a really significant role on a winning team and the Astros, I think, have the nucleus to provide that for him.”
“This is a bittersweet day for him,” Abbott continued. “It was a very tough decision for him. He’s very excited to be part of what Houston has going on and it was tough and will be tough to say goodbye to a really good organization and some teammates he’s come really close to.”
In three seasons in New York, McCann hit .235 and averaged 23 homers and 67 RBI.
McCann will more than likely be the primary catcher with Evan Gattis janitor and Max Stassi, young top prospect. competing for the backup spot.
This deal once again proves Cashman and Co. are focused on ending the mediocrity of the past few seasons. Thanks to smart trades in 2015 and 2016, and the youth movement that has been in the works for the better part of the past five seasons, the lineup will look drastically different on opening day 2017.
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