José Berríos Traded to Blue Jays

[Matthew Taylor]

Multiple reports have confirmed that José Berríos has been traded to the Blue Jays in exchange for Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson.

 

Jose Berrios has been traded. There have been rumors and now there are confirmations. Jose Berrios will be joining the Toronto Blue Jays as they head back to Canada to play for the first time in a long time. No doubt Berrios will be missed. He is a leader, a two-time All Star, and competitor. 

In return, the Twins received highly-touted prospects, SS Austin Martin and RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson.

Martin was the #5 overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Vanderbilt. Martin is a consensus Top 25 overall prospect in baseball. He should soon join the Wichita Wind Surge. He is ranked #21 by Baseball America and #16 by MLB Pipeline. 

Martin made his professional debut this year, and he has played in 55 games for Double-A New Hampshire. He has hit .281/.424/.383 (.807) with ten doubles, two triples and two home runs. He also has nine stolen bases. 

Woods-Richardson was traded two years ago from the Mets to the Blue Jays in the Marcus Stroman deal. The hard-thrower is currently in Tokyo with fellow newly-acquired Twins prospect Joe Ryan at the Olympics. He is ranked #68 by MLB Pipeline. 

He was the Mets second-round pick in 2018 out of high school in Texas. The 20-year-old is also at Double-A New Hampshire. He is 2-4 with a 5.76 ERA in 11 starts. Over 11 starts and 45 1/3 innings, he has walked too many (26) and struck out a ton (67, 13.3 K/9). 

On MLB Network, former GM Dan O'Dowd said, "In surplus value, the Twins won this deal. In present value, the Blue Jays get what they need." 

Once the Washington Nationals traded Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers on Thursday night, Berrios became the best pitcher on the trade market, and the Twins took advantage. 

The Blue Jays are working to stay in playoff contention in a division currently led by the Red Sox and Rays. They are also trying to keep up with the Yankees who have added sluggers Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo the past two days. A two-time All Star, Berrios will certainly help Toronto down the stretch and, the reason they got such a big return, will help them in 2022 as well. 

Are the Twins done??? Don't count on it! 

 

Story will be updated as we learn more information. You can also add to the story in the comments below.

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[Mike Frasier Law]

Simeon Woods-Richardson. Tell me about him!

[Mike Sixel]

Here is the Fangraphs board, filtered to the Jays.

https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board/2021-in-season-prospect-list/summary?sort=-1,1&team=tor

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Mike Frasier Law said:

Simeon Woods-Richardson. Tell me about him!

Fangraphs likes him, but he's been not GREAT this year......unlucky in outcomes, and supposedly a mid-rotation piece. In other words, Berrios-ish, maybe more Pineda, in 2 years or so.

[Mike Frasier Law]

 

[gunnarthor]

Woods is #68 on mlbpipeline.

[Steve71]

I hope they got Martinez, too, plus more....

[AceWrigley]

2 minutes ago, Mike Frasier Law said:

Simeon Woods-Richardson. Tell me about him!

Met's 2018 2nd round pick, he's 2-4 with an 5.76 era at AA New Hampshire.

[Mike Frasier Law]

Also Austin Martin?

 

Fangraphs: "The best bat in the 2020 draft, Martin features a big league approach, outstanding contact ability and average power. The Blue Jays will figure out his defensive home as he keeps on raking."

 

If true, that's two top-50 prospects in return

[gunnarthor]

Wow, Martin, too? Great deal for the Twins. He's #16 on the pipeline

[AceWrigley]

1 minute ago, Steve71 said:

I hope they got Martinez, too, plus more....

Like Bichette.

[70charger]

I hope there’s more than one piece coming back. He doesn’t seem like a plug and play for 2022, and his ceiling is likely Berrios-esque but with all the risk that comes from having just a half a season above single A. 
 

I know he’s considered a good prospect but I want an overpay and one guy isn’t it. IMHO. 

[AlwaysinModeration]

No Alex Manoah?

[70charger]

1 minute ago, Mike Frasier Law said:

Also Austin Martin?

 

Fangraphs: "The best bat in the 2020 draft, Martin features a big league approach, outstanding contact ability and average power. The Blue Jays will figure out his defensive home as he keeps on raking."

 

If true, that's two top-50 prospects in return

This makes me feel better. Of course it happened literally while I was posting that I wanted more than SWR. 

[Steve71]

Martin, great bat skills, but where does he play in the field?  SS, 2nd, CF?

[Mike Sixel]

Wow.....2 players Fangraphs has in the top 50 of all the minors! That's a haul......

[Aggies7]

world champs 2026

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

Whoa!

I didn't want the Twins to trade Berríos, but if they were going to trade him, the Blue Jays system seemed to have a lot of potential to pluck from.
https://www.mlb.com/prospects/bluejays/

There are four current/potential shortstops in their top 10 on this list. I'd hope to get one of those guys, ideally one projected to stay at SS, in addition to Woods Richardson. Guess we'll know soon enough.

[gunnarthor]

Wow, I've been hard on Levine for a while but this is a legit great trade. Well done to get two top 50ish prospects, including an elite bat like Martin. I'll miss Berrios but if you have to trade him, this is a really great return. Well down Twins FO.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

Just now, whosafraidofluigirussolo said:

I didn't want the Twins to trade Berríos, but if they were going to trade him, the Blue Jays system seemed to have a lot of potential to pluck from.

https://www.mlb.com/prospects/bluejays/

There are four current/potential shortstops in their top 10 on this list. I'd hope to get one of those guys, ideally one projected to stay at SS, in addition to Woods Richardson. Guess we'll know soon enough.

Martin reported included while I was typing that. Not bad.

[roger]

Sorry to see him go, will miss him.

Hopefully, the return is Tampa like and both players are key parts of the 2023 Twins.  Still curious if there is another prospect as the details come out.  Wondering if Martin is a legit center fielder and what that means about Buxton?

[Dman]

That is a good return for Berrios.  Woods Richardson is only 20 Years old and already at the AA level.  Martin is hitting well at AA as well.  Hope he can play shortstop as that is where we really need him but he might be Buxton insurance as well.

Jays did well though as well.  They essentially flipped Stroman and Martin for Berrios.  A good young starter just when they needed him.

[Mike Sixel]

MLB.com has Martin 16th, Fangrapsh 23rd.........that's a real hitter who can play CF and maybe SS. 

[Vanimal46]

1 minute ago, Aggies7 said:

world champs 2026

Circle of life. Play poorly, develop young stars, trade them before you have to pay them, rely on hope for the future. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

A trade for low minors players

wont be able to judge the trade for several more years

well played, falvine. well played

[LewFordLives]

No Pearson?  I hate this trade. Neither of those guys will help next year, if ever.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

A trade for low minors players

wont be able to judge the trade for several more years

well played, falvine. well played

both are in AA....and Fangraphs and MLB.com projects Martin to play in teh majors next year.....

[Rigby]

Actually SWR was doing extremely well, especially for a 20 year old in AA until his last 4 starts.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, LewFordLives said:

No Pearson?  I hate this trade. Neither of those guys will help next year, if ever.

Martin is a top 20 prospect in all of baseball....

[bean5302]

Simon-Richardson was one of the big pieces in the Mets Stroman trade a couple years ago. 4 pitch pitcher. Fastball, chaneup, curve and slider. Seems like he ran into pretty massive, and unexpected, control problems this year, but he's a 20 year old pitching at AA after the lost 2020 season.

A very nice write up on Simon-Richardson https://jaysjournal.com/2020/02/15/blue-jays-2020-top-prospects-4-simeon-woods-richardson/