Trader Dayton got the July hot stove going yesterday sending infielder hitter Wilson Betemit to the Detroit Tigers for minor leaguer catcher Julio Rodriguez and pitcher Antonio Cruz. Betemit, a former Brave, had been picked up by the Royals as a minor league free agent last year, but has turned into a pleasant surprise, posting a .297/.378/.511 last year and a .281/.341/.409 this year as a nice stop-gap before the Mike Moustakas-era. He had drawn significant trade interest from the Angels and Brewers, but the Tigers are the big winners here.
Julio Rodriguez is a 21 year old catcher in high A ball Lakeland hitting .283/.325/.354 in 246 PAs with 1 HR and 27 BI. He is pretty much organizational filler, someone for our elite pitching prospects to throw to.
Antonio Cruz is the closest thing to a prospect here. He is 19 years old, pitching in the Midwest League (A ball). He has made the conversion from reliever to starter this year posting a 3.11 ERA in 75.1 innings with 58 strikeouts and 28 walks. The Dominican left-hander has struggled in the past with his command, walking 80 in 151.1 minor league innings. He's 19 years old, he could become anything from a middle of the rotation starter, to a LOOGY, to a guy that washes out in High A ball. Not a terrible lottery ticket for a guy like Betemit.
The trade market gates have swung wide open - will Frenchy walk through?