Arizona Diamondbacks Shafted In Three Way Deal

Jun. 9, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher

throws in the sixth inning against the San Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks entered the Winter Meetings with their eyes set on acquiring an offensive minded corner outfielder. They got one of their main targets in first baseman/outfielder Mark Trumbo, but at a very high price.

To acquire Trumbo and two players to be named later, the Diamondbacks traded pitcher Tyler Skaggs to the Los Angeles Angels and outfielder Adam Eaton to the Chicago White Sox.

The Angels actually drafted Skaggs in the 2009 MLB Draft, but was traded a year later for pitcher Dan Haren. Skaggs pitched in just 38.2 innings in 2013, going 2-3 with a 5.12 ERA. Still, he has long been regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball, ranking 12^th in Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects for 2013.

The Diamondbacks also decided they had to trade Eaton in this deal for some reason. Eaton only played in 66 games this past season, dealing with injuries to his left elbow. Eaton is still two years away from arbitration and owns a .450 OBP in four minor league seasons.

Trumbo definitely fits the bill as a power corner outfielder, but with serious flaws to his approach.

Since becoming a full time player, Trumbo has hit 95 homeruns in three seasons. The concerning part of Trumbo’s game is his career .299 OBP. He has shown signs of improvement with improving walk rates, but is still largely an all or nothing power hitter. Arizona will primarily be playing Trumbo in the outfield, where he owns a -7 UZR/150 in 992.1 innings.

Trumbo is due a substantial pay raise this offseason as he is arbitration eligible for the first time.

The Diamondbacks basically traded Skaggs and Eaton for a power hitter with a sub .300 career OBP that will be below average defensively in the outfield. The Diamondbacks also got two prospects in this deal, but they are coming from two teams that own bottom tier farm systems.

The White Sox also dealt pitcher Hector Santiago to the Angels as part of this three-way deal. The lefty logged 149 innings last season, going 4-9 with a 3.56 ERA.