Taylor Lindsey Heads Package Dealt for Huston Street
After years of rumors surrounding Huston Street, it appears he will finally be dealt. According to multiple media outlets, Street is set to head up the 5 freeway to Anaheim and join the Los Angeles Angels. The Padres will receive three of the Angels top ten prospects in Taylor Lindsey, R.J. Alvarez, and Jose Rondon. There is still one minor leaguer for each team still to be included in the deal, but the details as to who those are are not yet known.
The Angels already have a pretty sad farm system, and this trade will only deplete it even more, but adding Street to the back of the big league bullpen could be the difference making the playoffs and spending October on the golf course.
For the Padres, their system is loaded with arms and outfielders, but light on infielders in the high minors. Lindsey instantly becomes the team’s best second base prospect. The problem with Lindsey is the lack of a carrying tool. He has hit at every level until this year, where he has hit just .247 in 75 games at Triple-A. His swing carries a lot of effort, but generates little power, maybe 10-12 home runs at the big league level potential. He is slow, especially for a middle infielder, but his glove is decent enough, and his arm is strong enough to move to third base if he needs to in time.
Rondon is a shortstop in the High-A California League and has improved his batting average every year since first making his stateside debut in 2012. This is his first year of full-season ball, and he has already set a career high in games played, but is also hitting .327 for his Inland Empire club. The 20-year old is proving he is ready to hit, but he has drawn just 17 walks this season, and his slugging is less than 100 points better than his average. He has two career home runs over parts of four seasons, and his career high is 13 steals, so his speed isn’t really a plus. He will have to rely on his three tools that flirt with plus (hit, run, and arm) but he will likely become an average regular shortstop.
R.J. Alvarez is a pure reliever in every way, but he is excellent at what he does. He was drafted out of Florida Atlantic in the 3rd round in 202, and struggled some in his first two stops, but is shining at Double-A. He has an upper 90s fastball and a very good slider, but his control is still an issue. He has walked ten batters in 27 innings in the Texas League, but he has also struck out 38 in that time. His ERA this year is a nearly non-existent 0.33 and opponents are batting just .149.
In all, the Padres get a decent haul for a closer that has a $7 million team option in 2015 and becomes a free agent in 2016. The Padres are quietly putting together a very good farm system, and just may the next small market contender.