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Article: Nunez Traded To Giants For LHP Prospect

Seth Stohs
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Seth Stohs GOAT

Seth Stohs

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Following the Twins 6-2 win against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night, the team announced that All Star Shortstop Eduardo Nunez has been traded to the San Francisco Giants.

 

In return, the Twins received left-handed pitcher Adalberto Mejia. He just turned 23 years old. In 18 starts between AA Richmond and AAA Sacramento this year, he is a combined 7-3 with a 2.81 ERA. In 105.2 innings, he has 27 walks and 102 strikeouts. He made 11 starts in AA and has now made seven starts in AAA.The Giants have an All-Star caliber shortstop in Brandon Crawford. Second Baseman Joe Panik is about to come off of the Disabled List. Matt Duffy has been their primary third baseman. Eduardo Nunez will likely play all three positions, and maybe even a little in the outfield.

 

Once considered the heir-apparent to Derek Jeter as the New York Yankees shortstop, Eduardo Nunez never really got that opportunity. Instead, he had to play as a utility infielder. In April of 2014, he was traded to the Twins in exchange for left-handed pitcher Miguel Sulbaran.

 

He played in 72 games for the Twins in 2014 and hit just .250/.271/.381 (.654). In 2015, he finally seemed to really accept the role of a bench player and thrived. He hit .272/.327/.431 (.758).

 

Because of injury, Nunez finally got an opportunity to play every day and he took full advantage. While he has slowed down in the last month, he is still hitting .300/.326/.444 (.771) with 15 doubles, 12 homers, 47 RBI and a league-leading 26 stolen bases. He made - and earned - his first All Star appearance.

 

Popular in the clubhouse, Nunez will likely be missed by teammates. He is considered a leader among the players, particularly the many young players from Latin American countries.

 

However, to get a prospect the caliber of Adalberto Mejia for him is rather impressive.

 

Mejia was suspended 50 games for PEDs following the 2014 season. He missed time at the start of the 2015 season. Since, he he pitched very well.

 

Mejia is listed at 6-3, 195 pounds, but most believe he is at least 20 pounds more than that. However, the southpaw has a fastball that reached to 93-94 mph.He also throws a slider in the mid-80s and a low-80s change up.

 

For Rob Antony's first move as the interim GM, I would think this would go down in the "Pro" column for his candidacy for the full-time job.

 

Mejia's Twins career will begin with the Rochester Red Wings. Jorge Polanco was recalled to the Twins.

 

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amjgt
amjgt

Goodbye old friend.

DaveW
DaveW

They also got a good amount of value from Nunez during his playing time here, they were able to then trade him at near peak value.

nicksaviking
nicksaviking

I like it, a young controllable lefty with some promise.   The Twins have gotten a pretty good return for Scott Tyler and Travis Boyer! They got Luis Castillo who got Drew Buetera (and Dustin Martin)

old nurse GCL Twins

old nurse

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From preseason 2016 rankings

12) Adalberto Mejia, LHP, Grade C+: Age 22, posted 2.45 ERA with 38/18 K/BB in 51 innings in Double-A, season cut in half by PED suspension then a sore shoulder. Some see him as mid-rotation starter with fastball, change-up, slider, but I think he is more of a bullpen asset in the long run.

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Tom Froemming All-Star

Tom Froemming

Twins Daily Staff
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Great to see a young but near MLB-ready starter coming back for Nunez. The ERA doesn't look as sterling since his promotion to Triple-A (4.20), but Mejia's 9.5 K/9 and 3.91 K/BB ratio over seven starts at Sacramento are very nice. Plus the PCL is a hitter's league.

 

Atta boy Antony. Sad to see Nunie go, but I think he'll fit in nicely with the Giants.

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King College Ball

King

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Adalberto was ranked 7th on the Giants most recently updated MLB Pipeline top 30 prospects list.

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Curveball: 40 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

Mejia received the highest bonus in the Giants' 2011 international crop, signing for $350,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He pitched a career-low 51 1/3 innings last year, the result of a 50-game suspension for testing positive for stimulants and a bout with shoulder tendinitis, but pitched well enough in Double-A and the Arizona Fall League to earn a spot on San Francisco's 40-man roster.

Mejia often pitches in the low 90s and tops out at 95 with sink and tail on his fastball, though at times he'll dip down to the upper 80s. His slider and changeup can be solid pitches on occasion, and he has the aptitude to vary the break on his slider. He also can mix in a curveball for show.

There isn't much effort in Mejia's delivery, and he's doing a better job of repeating it and maintaining the quality of his stuff and command. He'll need to watch his conditioning because his 6-foot-3 frame carries a lot more than his listed 195 pounds. He most likely will fit in the No. 4 slot in a big league rotation.

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King College Ball

King

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Great to see a young but near MLB-ready starter coming back for Nunez. The ERA doesn't look as sterling since his promotion to Triple-A (4.20), but Mejia's 9.5 K/9 and 3.91 K/BB ratio over seven starts at Sacramento are very nice. Plus the PCL is a hitter's league.

 

Atta boy Antony. Sad to see Nunie go, but I think he'll fit in nicely with the Giants.

Yeah I wouldn't worry about the ERA at all especially in the PCL. The strikeout and walk numbers are very nice though.

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King College Ball

King

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Here is what Fangraphs writer Eric Longenhagen had to say about Adalberto just 10 days ago

 

Benny Boop: What do you think of Adalberto Mejia? Any chance he’s up this year before Sept?
3:46

Eric A Longenhagen: Solid average four pitch mix with a good idea of how to use it. I think he’s a #4 and I do believe he could help the big club this year. I need to watch the video I took of him at the Futures Game and comp it to last fall because I think the arm slot might be a little lower.

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old nurse GCL Twins

old nurse

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Slid down prospect ranking, he was as high as 4 in the Giants organization. Ranked as high as 86 on a prospect ranking list. Before you all get exited, one study showed it was about a 35% chance of a pitcher of this ranking accumulating 3 WAR.

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King College Ball

King

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Yeah this is annoying, can't you guys just edit it so Seths article becomes the first post in a thread? It's annoying that you guys went and locked a good 56 post thread.

I have no preference either way but it does make sense if the two threads could be merged somehow.

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ShouldaCouldaWoulda Draft Eligible

ShouldaCouldaWoulda

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In depth scouting report, but a few years old from Baseball Prospectus.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=137

 

Favorite comment was "Painfully slow between pitches." lol.

 

 

Also, read that the Brewers were scouting him earlier as a trade target.

Edited by ShouldaCouldaWoulda
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Vanimal46 MVP

Vanimal46

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In depth scouting report, but a few years old from Baseball Prospectus.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=137

 

Favorite comment was "Painfully slow between pitches." lol.

In that case, is there a return policy on players? Guy needs to put some giddy up on the pace between pitches.

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Mr. Brooks Cedar Rapids Kernels

Mr. Brooks

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This is EXACTLY what crappy teams should be doing....I don't understand how people can criticize this at all. Twins aren't getting Gallo or Giolito (apparently I like G's tonight) for Nunez....

This is an odd comment, considering I don't see a single poster criticizing the move, and in fact the vast majority are ecstatic over the move.

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