Editor’s note: This column has been adjusted to reflect a change in the reported trade return.
Joey Gallo – not Jerry Gallo, he’s dead – was the best position player available on the trade market this year, and now he’s actually been traded, which is always a bit of a surprise given the smoke/fire ratio at this time of year. The Yankees definitely need what Gallo provides, along with another arm for their beleaguered bullpen, but the Rangers did well here, gaining several players who project to have real major-league value, although they may not have ended up with any future stars.
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The Yankees have gotten very little production from left and center field this year, with the two positions combining for an OBP this year just under .300 and just 20 home runs total, whereas Gallo already has 25 homers this year along with a .379 OBP, both of which would lead all Yankees hitters. He is about as productive as a hitter can be while striking out in nearly a third of his plate appearances because he hits the ball so hard. He’s evolved substantially since the Rangers took him in the supplemental round back in 2012, going the other way more often than he once did and showing little to no platoon split in the past four years. He’s also a plus defender in a corner and capable of handling center, so the Yankees have some options for him even when Aaron Judge is healthy and playing the field. Gallo could be a two-win upgrade himself, and they will reportedly get something extra in left-handed reliever Joely Rodriguez. The Yankees may see something they like in Rodriguez, but he hasn’t been effective at any point in his year-plus of major-league service, and isn’t even good enough against left-handed batters to call him a specialist.
With the deal officially confirmed on Thursday morning, the Rangers will get a lot of good prospects in this trade without getting a single great one, but for what they gave up, that’s reasonable — especially if no team was willing to part with an elite prospect in a Gallo trade. Ezequiel Duran is the best of the prospects heading to Texas, a second baseman with legit pop despite being only 5-foot-10 or so. He could play shortstop in a pinch, with great hands and actions but an arm that might be too light for the position. He swings hard and has consistently posted strong exit velocities, with good balance through contact and 20-homer upside. He strikes out a little too often right now, but if he cuts that even slightly, he’s a longtime regular with some All-Star upside.
Shortstop Josh Smith was the Yankees’ second-round pick in 2019 out of LSU, but for some reason he started the year in Low A despite being 23 (he’ll turn 24 on Aug. 7) and a college product; he’s a plus runner who has the power for 10-15 homers a year, with good feel to hit and at least 60 defense at short. The Yankees have tweaked his swing to boost his launch angle, but that may not be the ideal approach for his size and strength. He should go directly to Double A, given his age and production this year.
Right-hander Glenn Otto used to come from a high slot that gave him a lot of deception, but this year the Yankees lowered his slot somewhat and gave him a slider, which is a lot easier for him to throw where his arm is now, and that pitch and his curveball can both show plus. He’s 90-92 mph, touching 94, with plus control, probably a reliever in the end, but also probably ready right now. Otto is a Rice product, from the Wayne Graham era, so of course he’s been hurt multiple times in pro ball, throwing 71 1/3 innings total between 2018 and 2019.
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The Yankees took Trevor Hauver in the third round last year out of Arizona State and have tried to convert the left fielder to second base, but it hasn’t worked, so he still has no position, and he’s 22 in Low A. The original deal included two more prospects in Everson Pereira and Randy Vasquez, and the package was much more attractive for the Rangers with them included — especially Vasquez.
This should help the Rangers’ rebuild, which has been slowed by some pitching injuries recently, with a quick injection of players at all levels of full-season ball, with Duran and Smith both in the Rangers’ top 10. I imagine the lack of a more famous name in the package will irk some Rangers fans who were hoping for one of the Yankees’ or Padres’ top prospects, but this is a reasonable return for what the Rangers gave up. If there’s any surprise here at all, it’s that they didn’t end up with prospects on the Yankees’ 40-man roster but not in the majors; the Yankees are staring at a serious 40-man crunch this fall and I figured any deal they struck would include someone such as Yoendrys Gomez or Luis Gil.
(Photo of Ezequiel Duran: Tomasso DeRosa via AP)
