![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/85259123007-usatsi-26621732.jpg\"\/)
![\"play\"](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\nAre last summer’s sellers better off? Top prospects prove hard to come by.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
How Yankees closer Devin Williams stays calm under bright lights<\/p>\n
Devin Williams explains how he stays calm under pressure especially now that he’s the closer of the New York Yankees.<\/p>\n
Sports Pulse<\/p>\n
Major League Baseball<\/a>\u2019s annual transaction bazaar is nearly here. And for fans of less-dominant teams, the concept of \u201cselling\u201d at the trade deadline<\/a> holds some appeal.<\/p>\n It might indicate their favorite franchise is showing some semblance of direction, that the hope of the unknown remains preferable to the drudgery of the present. But in this era of deadline gridlock thanks to extra wild card berths and clubs clutching their best prospects<\/a> ever closer to them, the gifts that arrive at the end of July are more suitable for a white elephant exchange than an actual holiday.<\/p>\n And for clubs hovering around or just below .500, selling means kicking the can down the road again, at least in part because internal \u201cplayoff odds\u201d might not suggest earnestly competing is the best choice.<\/p>\n So just what did last year bring, and are the sellers better off?<\/p>\n Not a lot: Of the 83 prospects acquired, three have become replacement-level big league regulars, and one – Marlins slugger Kyle Stowers \u2013 an All-Star. Two more are platoon players.<\/p>\n Yet just two traded prospects cracked the top five of the acquiring team\u2019s most recent prospects list as rated by Baseball America, while 17 others are currently in an organizational top 30. And not a single current top 100 overall prospect changed organizations.<\/p>\n Just call the following an exercise in managing expectations.<\/p>\n USA TODAY Sports examined the biggest deals in the last week leading up to the 2024 deadline, excluding trades that didn\u2019t involve obvious buyers and sellers, blatant cash dumps, those involving players designated for assignment and similarly minor moves.<\/p>\n As that seven-day window opens for 2025, is it worth it for clubs to get “something” instead of nothing? Let\u2019s see:<\/p>\n The biggest deals<\/p>\n Dodgers get: INF\/OF Tommy Edman, RHP Michael Kopech, RHP Oliver Gonzalez<\/p>\n Cardinals get: RHP Erick Fedde, OF Tommy Pham<\/p>\n White Sox get: INF Miguel Vargas, INF Jeral Perez, INF Alexander Albertus<\/p>\n Outcome: Dodgers win World Series; Cardinals finish 83-79; White Sox finish 41-121<\/p>\n Aftermath: The two Dodger blockbusters certainly pushed them over the top to a World Series title and they even convinced Edman to stick around<\/a> a while. Kopech was a regular season and playoff savior, posting eight scoreless outings in 10 postseason games, although he\u2019s been injured almost all this year. The Cardinals failed to make the postseason and Fedde, though solid down the 2024 stretch, was designated for assignment last week. For all those moving parts, the White Sox got little assurance of a future cornerstone. Vargas flourished momentarily<\/a> with a long runway for big league at-bats but now has a .221\/.304\/.402 line with 12 homers. Perez, 20, is ranked 22nd in the Sox system and has a .296 OBP at high A while Albertus has played just 19 career games outside of complex league ball.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Dodgers get: RHP Jack Flaherty<\/p>\n Tigers get: SS Trey Sweeney, C Thayron Liranzo<\/p>\n Outcome: Tigers win wild-card series, lose in AL Division Series<\/p>\n Aftermath: The trade that broke all conventions. The Dodgers snagged the most significant starting pitcher upgrade just before the deadline and Flaherty started three of the Dodgers\u2019 11 postseason victories. Meanwhile, the Tigers regrouped behind a \u201cpitching chaos\u201d plan, gained an everyday shortstop in Sweeney, reached the playoffs \u2013 and re-signed Flaherty in the off-season. Kids, don\u2019t try this at home. Something about the exception that proves the rule.<\/p>\n As for assets? Check back. After solidifying shortstop last season, Sweeney has produced negative WAR and a 63 adjusted OPS this season, which included a brief trip to Class AAA. Liranzo, 22, is No. 4 in Baseball America\u2019s midseason re-rank of the Tigers\u2019 system, with a .748 OPS at Class AA.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Padres get: LHP Tanner Scott, RHP Bryan Hoeing<\/p>\n Marlins get: LHP Robby Snelling, RHP Adam Mazur, LHP Jay Beshears, INF Graham Paulling<\/p>\n Outcome: Padres win wild-card series, lose in NL Division Series; Marlins finish 62-100<\/p>\n Aftermath: San Diego won the stakes for the top reliever on the market and gave the Dodgers their toughest fight of October, losing a five-game NLDS thriller. Scott left as a free agent; Hoeing remains a member of the Padres\u2019 bullpen.<\/p>\n The Marlins fortified their system, getting their current No. 4 (Snelling), No. 7 (Mazur) and No. 22 (Paulling) prospects, though only Snelling \u2013 having a nice bounceback year at Class AA and AAA \u2013 projects as a potential impact player.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Astros<\/a> get: LHP Yusei Kikuchi<\/p>\n Blue Jays get: INF\/OF Will Wagner, INF\/OF Joey Loperfido, RHP Jake Bloss<\/p>\n Outcome: Astros lose AL wild card series; Blue Jays finish 74-88<\/p>\n Aftermath: A pretty good ol\u2019 fashioned deadline deal here, even as there\u2019s no carrying potential star in the return. Kikuchi pitched great in Houston (5-1, 2.70 ERA) yet somehow did not start a playoff game before the Astros went two-and-out. Wagner and Loperfido have played in 33 and 10 games respectively for the Jays, each sitting on 0.0 WAR (and if that\u2019s not the perfect illustration for the modern trade deadline return\u2026). Bloss, now the Blue Jays\u2019 No. 13 ranked prospect, underwent Tommy John surgery in May after six rocky outings at Class AAA.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Yankees get: INF Jazz Chisholm<\/p>\n Marlins get: C Agustin Ram\u00edrez, INF Jared Serna, INF Abrahan Ram\u00edrez<\/p>\n Outcome: Yankees advance to World Series<\/p>\n Aftermath: Chisholm was a key immediate and future piece for the Yankees, producing an .825 OPS and 11 regular season homers and filling a massive hole at third, sometimes with difficulty defensively. He\u2019s their everyday All-Star second baseman this year.<\/p>\n It looked like a strong return for the Marlins after Agustin Ram\u00edrez debuted April 21 and slugged six homers with a .923 OPS in his first 23 games. He\u2019s hit eight more homers but with just a .674 OPS and 19% K rate in the 54 games since. Abrahan Ram\u00edrez is their No. 22 prospect but at 20 is still in the Florida complex league; Serna, 23, is on the 40-man roster but has a .569 OPS at Class AA.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Orioles get: LHP Trevor Rogers<\/p>\n Marlins get: OF Kyle Stowers, INF Connor Norby<\/p>\n Outcome: Orioles lose in AL wild card series<\/p>\n Aftermath: Like the Flaherty trade above, this one went haywire from the jump. Rogers was bad and injured for a very good Orioles team down the stretch; he\u2019s now very good for a bad Orioles team this season. Meanwhile, the Orioles made a potentially crushing mistake in choosing Stowers to deal from their surplus of outfielders. After three years on the Baltimore-AAA shuttle, he\u2019s an All-Star and possible superstar in Miami, with 22 homers, a .295 average and .937 OPS. Norby started out hot in Miami but has cooled, with a .291 OBP and 13 homers in 108 games as a Marlin. Still, he\u2019s a useful big league piece and if there\u2019s anything we learned from this deadline, it\u2019s this: The Marlins seem to know what they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Orioles get: RHP Zach Eflin and cash<\/p>\n Rays get: INF Mac Horvath, RHP Jackson Baumeister, OF Matthew Etzel<\/p>\n Outcome: Rays finish 80-82<\/p>\n Aftermath: Eflin served his purpose, delivering a 2.60 ERA in 10 starts and a representative playoff outing; he\u2019s been injured and inconsistent in 2025 and, having just returned from the IL, is a likely candidate to get traded again this week. The modern front office is unafraid to trade within divisions and the Orioles appeared to pull this deal off without getting burnt by the savvy Rays.<\/p>\n Baumeister, a second-round pick and the highest-drafted pitcher in the Mike Elias era, fell out of the Rays\u2019 top 30 and is on the 60-day IL in Class AA after a 6.86 ERA in 10 Class AA starts. Horvath (23, .765 OPS at high A) and Etzel (23, .707 at AA) don\u2019t appear to be impact players.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Phillies get: RHP Carlos Est\u00e9vez<\/p>\n Angels get: LHP Samuel Aldegheri, RHP George Klassen<\/p>\n Outcome: Phillies lose in NLDS; Angels finish 63-99<\/p>\n Aftermath: Kind of the platonic ideal deal for both franchises. The Phillies burn trade capital to try and win now under Dave Dombrowski, who\u2019s ultimately undercut by his bullpen. And the Angels acquire OK talent that\u2019s, in Aldegheri\u2019s case, rushed to the majors with uninspired results. Aldegheri posted a 4.85 ERA in three starts last year and two relief appearances this year; he has a 4.75 ERA at Class AA and is ranked No. 8 in the system. Klassen, 23, has a bit more upside, ranked No. 4 in the system and a Futures Game pick this year thanks to what Baseball America calls \u201cmid-rotation upside.\u201d But his command remains iffy, with a 5.86 ERA and 28 walks in 58 \u2153 Class AA innings.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Padres get: RHP Jason Adam<\/p>\n Rays get: RHP Dylan Lesko, OF Homer Bush Jr., C J.D. Gonzalez<\/p>\n Aftermath: Padres first-rounders are drafted to be traded and in two years Lesko went from 15th overall pick to the Rays\u2019 system, as Adam was a stalwart in \u201924 and an All-Star this year for the ever-contending Padres. The cost? Not much. Lesko, 21, made just four starts this year at high A before he was shut down. Bush is ranked No. 24 in the Rays\u2019 system and has speed (33 steals at Class AA) but zero power. Gonzalez, 19, is on the 60-day IL at high A rehabbing an injured elbow and has slipped out of the organizational top 30.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Royals get: RHP Lucas Erceg<\/p>\n Athletics get: RHP Mason Barnett, RHP Will Klein, OF Jared Dickey<\/p>\n Outcome: Royals win AL wild card series, lose in ALDS: Athletics finish 69-93<\/p>\n Aftermath: A great pickup for Kansas City, giving it a stout bullpen for the playoff drive and a controllable relief arm; in fact, Erceg may be flipped this year as the Royals hover near the buy-sell line. The A\u2019s landed their now-No. 4 prospect in Barnett, who shined at Class AA before a mixed stint at AAA this year. Klein was sold to Seattle in January.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Mariners get: OF Randy Arozarena<\/p>\n Rays get: RHP Brody Hopkins, OF Aidan Smith and a player to be named<\/p>\n Outcome: Mariners finish 85-77<\/p>\n Aftermath: The Rays have built mini-empires off trading with Jerry Dipoto, though this one was pretty symbiotic. Seattle missed the playoffs last year but Arozarena is still producing at an All-Star level this year, even as Tampa Bay has largely readjusted<\/a> its offense without him. Hopkins, a Futures Game selection, has made gains<\/a> in the Rays pitching program and is now their No. 5 prospect, with 99 strikeouts in 81 innings and a 3.32 ERA in 18 Class AA starts. Smith, who turned 21 July 23, is No. 12 in the Rays\u2019 system and trending well at Class AA, his 10 homers and 26 steals auguring a versatile offensive profile.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Guardians get: OF Lane Thomas<\/p>\n Nationals get: LHP Alex Clemmey, INF Rafael Ramirez Jr., INF Jose Tena<\/p>\n Outcome: Guardians win AL Central, lose in AL Championship Series; Nationals finish 71-91<\/p>\n Aftermath: Thomas hit an epic postseason home run<\/a> in Cleveland, though his overall production tailed off switching leagues in the trade. The Nationals hit on Clemmey, a Futures Game participant who\u2019s now their No. 5 prospect, but still has a long climb ahead from A ball. Tena has shown no power or speed and league-average hit ability in major league stints, while Ramirez has spent all season on the Class A injured list.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Guardians get: RHP Alex Cobb<\/p>\n Giants get: LHP Jacob Bresnahan and player to be named (INF Nate Furman)<\/p>\n Outcome: Guardians win AL Central, lose in AL Championship Series; Giants finish 80-82<\/p>\n Aftermath: Cobb didn\u2019t pitch for the Giants in \u201924 due to injury but made three effective starts down the stretch and started two playoff games for the Guardians, who won his ALDS outing against Detroit before he was injured again in the ALCS.<\/p>\n Bresnahan, 20, is ranked 16th in the Giants system and having a decent year in low A; Furman has yet to play in their system due to injury.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n Royals get: RHP Michael Lorenzen<\/p>\n Rangers get: LHP Walter Pennington<\/p>\n Outcome: Rangers finish 78-84<\/p>\n Aftermath: In a weird buy-sell deadline for the Rangers, the Royals got the veteran arm they needed for a playoff drive as Lorenzen posted a 1.57 ERA down the stretch, joined the playoff bullpen and re-signed in K.C. Pennington made a one-game debut with the Rangers but was placed on waivers in April and claimed by Baltimore.<\/p>\n \u2218\u2218<\/p>\n