Pittsburgh Pirates
Pirates get: Jose Quintana
White Sox get: Josh Bell, Mitch Keller, Kevin Newman/Cole Tucker
The Pirates have been considered one of the favorites to land Quintana for most of the offseason. Pittsburgh just wanted their division rival Chicago Cubs just win the World Series. They understand that if they want to compete then they have to add high-level MLB talent.
Adding the White Sox pitcher gives the Pirates an impressive 1-2 punch atop their rotation with Quintana followed by Gerrit Cole. Both are then followed by the rapidly improving Ivan Nova, giving the team one of the better pitching rotations in the National League.
But what makes the Pirates one of the favorites is their deep farm system. The team has five players in the top 100 prospects, including three in the top 20.
Duquette argues that Pittsburgh may be unwilling to trade their best pitching prospect in Tyler Glasnow and their best hitting prospect in Austin Meadows. If so, Duqette believes that these three top prospects would be necessary to get a deal done.
Bell got his first taste of the major leagues in 2016, appearing in 45 games. He hit .273 with three homeruns and 19 RBIs. In 487 career minor league games, Bell hit .303 with 44 homeruns, 285 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
The Pirates prospect is as MLB ready as they come. He would be able to step right in at first base or DH and contribute immediately. With the Sox, he would be Jose Abreu’s replacement assuming he is moved. He would be a force in the middle of Chicago’s lineup for years to come.
Mitch Keller is the team’s fifth best prospect and the 72nd best prospect in baseball. He has appeared in 39 minor league games and 177.1 innings. Keller holds a career 9-8 record with a 2.64 ERA and a 192/48 K/BB ratio.
Keller is projected to be a mid-rotation starter with potential for more. He has a good three pitch mix including an impressive 11-5 curveball. With the White Sox he would likely be another talented pitcher in the team’s super rotation of the future.
The Sox would likely have their pick of Kevin Newman or Cole Tucker assuming the Pirates included one of them in the trade. While Newman is ranked higher on the prospect board than Tucker, both would be vital pieces for the team’s future infield.
Newman is the team’s fourth best prospect and the 42nd best prospect in baseball. In his 163 minor league games Newman has hit .295 with seven homeruns, 69 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
Newman seems like he has all the tools to be an everyday MLB middle infielder. He is a player who will get on base and create runs with his legs. He would likely have to move to second or third base with Tim Anderson locked in at shortstop. However Newman would be a threat atop the White Sox lineup going forward.
Tucker is the the team’s seventh best prospect. He has appeared in 201 minor league games, hitting .267 with six homeruns, 65 RBIs and 44 stolen bases.
Tucker is coming off of a shoulder injury, but he has the makeup of a talented middle infielder. Like Newman he would need a new position, but he would be one of the better hitters in the White Sox lineup.
This package would give the White Sox two impressive infielders as well as another talented pitcher. While they wouldn’t get Meadows or Glasnow, they’re getting three prospects who would be crucial to the team’s future playoff push, whenever that may be.
