Detroit Tigers Trade Cameron Maybin to Angels for RHP Victor Alcantara
By Matt Snyder
The Detroit Tigers have traded away center fielder CameronMaybin in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect VictorAlcantara.
The Detroit Tigers announced on Thursday evening that center fielder Cameron Maybin had been traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for pitching prospect Victor Alcantara. Jason Beck and Ken Rosenthal were first to report the news on Twitter.
Hearing Tigers working on potential sign-and-trade scenario with Cameron Maybin, who has a $9 million club option.
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) November 3, 2016
Sources: Maybin getting traded to #Angels, who will pick up his option.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2016
#Angels announce trade: Minor-league RHP Victor Alcantara to #Tigers for Maybin.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2016
The Tigers had talked about shedding payroll as they head into the 2017 season, so it’s no surprise they’re starting to move players already. They could have simply declined Maybin’s option year and let him walk, but his quality 2016 season gave him some surplus value and so a trade was the more prudent move.
The last time the Tigers traded Maybin they ended up landing Miguel Cabrera in the deal. This haul will not match that one.
Victor Alcantara is a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who has shown a propensity to walk batters. He entered the 2016 season as the number four prospect in the Angels farm system according to Baseball America. That lofty ranking might not match his actual prostpect status, however, as the Angels have a notably poor farm system — they were ranked last by Baseball America heading into the season.
For what it’s worth, MLB Pipeline has already slotted him in at No. 23 in the Tigers’ system. The Tigers also have a thin farm system (they were ranked No. 26 by Baseball America), so that low of a ranking doesn’t bode well for his prospect status.
It’s not a tremendous haul for the Tigers, but it does help the team pursue their goal of cutting payroll while getting something of positive value in return. Alcantara would appear to have a long way to go before he’s ready to make an impact at the major league level, however.
Here’s MLB.com’s prospect report on Alcantara:
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Alcantara has mostly worked as a starting pitcher in his minor league career, but his power arm and high walk right might be more suggestive of a future in the bullpen.