Génesis Cabrera modified feathers on Friday, as he was traded from St. Louis to Toronto for teenage catching prospect Sammy Hernandez just a few days after Cabrera was designated for task. The hard-throwing 26-year-old southpaw had spent components of 5 risky seasons with the Cardinals. Whereas he has loved a major bat-missing rebound in 2023 in comparison with final season (he’s again into the 26% Ok% space, up from 16.5% in 2022), Cabrera was within the midst of yet one more rocky, homer-prone yr earlier than he was DFA’d. He launched an upper-80s slider/cutter to his repertoire this yr and has been utilizing it a ton (36%), whereas his fastball velocity has slipped a bit. All of Cabrera’s non-fastball pitches generate above-average swinging strike charges, whereas his mid-90s heater tends to get shelled though he and the Cardinals made modifications to it this yr. Maybe a change of surroundings and new outdoors intervention will result in one other tweak on this space:
Cabrera isn’t a dependable center reduction choice proper now regardless of the standard of his secondary stuff and arm power, however he does add lefty depth to a bullpen scenario that wanted it. He turns into the second lefty reliever on Toronto’s 40-man roster after Tim Mayza, although Trevor Richards (who sports activities top-of-the-line changeups of the final decade or so) can also be a lefty-dousing reliever with reverse splits (he boasts a 40% Ok% vs. left-handed hitters!). It’s a high quality pickup on the margins for Toronto.
In trade, the Cardinals will obtain 19-year-old catcher Sammy Hernandez, who had just lately been demoted from Low-A Dunedin to the Complicated League roster. Hernandez generated scout buzz early through the spring when he broke camp with the full-season group (just a few scouts with whom I crossed paths throughout my April run by means of Florida talked about him as lacking from the Jays prospect listing), however over time, his lack of plate self-discipline and pitch recognition wreaked havoc on his offensive efficiency. He does have above-average bat pace, pushed by an authoritative high hand by means of contact.
There’s a lot work to be accomplished together with his protection. Hernandez catches from a really excessive crouch and infrequently receives pitches shifting away from the center of the zone, making him a poor framer across the edges at current. He’s twitchy and athletic, exhibiting the occasional plus pop time, however his exit from his crouch could be very inconsistent and his accuracy wavers:
Sammy Hernandez (@Samuel_H02) goes and will get the ball on the surface, and pulls it to the grass.
Good piece of hitting right here from the 19-year-old.#BlueJays #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/3Dn1Sa2z54
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) June 7, 2023
Regardless that he’s a low-probability prospect, it’s a pleasant return for the Cardinals to get a teenage catcher with good bat pace in trade for a participant they had been prepared to DFA. The industry-wide stock at catcher is shallow and tends to lack the form of offensive expertise Hernandez has, risky although he could also be. Accruing depth at that place, which tends to pump out late-bloomers, is sensible. And for the Blue Jays, who’re preventing to remain in playoff place in what’s arguably baseball’s hardest division, there is no such thing as a time to waste throughout this era when the crew is sort of fully wholesome. Hyun Jin Ryu doesn’t look nice, however he and Chad Inexperienced, who begins his rehab task tomorrow, are almost again from their 2022 TJs.