Detroit Tigers Trade Yoenis Cespedes to New York Mets for Pitching Prospects
By Matt Snyder
The New York Mets came hard with a late push and struck a deal with the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
Source says Cespedes has been dealt to the Mets .
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) July 31, 2015
We’re still waiting on final, official word on the trade and the full return package, but it seems the deal is done.
The pipe dream prize for many Tigers fans was starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, who is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he is not going to be included in the trade. Instead, the Mets will send the Tigers two minor league players.
Zack Wheeler isn't goo to #Tigers in Cespedes deal,sources say
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 31, 2015
Jennifer Hammond of Fox 2 reports that Luis Cessa and Michael Fulmer are the players that will be coming back to the Tigers (Fuller was a quick Twitter typo that she quickly corrected).
Fuller and Cessa are the players on receiving end for #Tigers in Cespedes deal.
— Jennifer Hammond (@HammerFox2) July 31, 2015
Fulmer, 22 years old in AA, and Cessa, 23 years old in AAA, are both right-handed starting pitchers.
Fulmer has been excellent across 89 innings in AA this season. He has struck out 83 batter, walked just 23, and boasts a 1.88 ERA in 15 starts. MLB.com ranked Fulmer as the seventh best prospect in the Mets’ system at the time of the trade.
Cessa has pitched 101 innings across AA and AAA this season. He has struck out 85 batters and walked 21 with a combined 3.98 ERA. He was ranked as the number sixteen overall prospect in the Mets’ system.
Fulmer is the bigger get here — he appears to have a chance to develop into a nice big league player — but both provide immediate depth at the very minimum.
It’s sad to see Cespedes go, he was a terrific player to watch this season, but his departure helps out the farm system for now. We’ll see if the Tigers make a run at re-signing him in the offseason when he is set to become a free agent.
Next: Tigers Trade Deadline Tracker