:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67314436/1267181549.jpg.0.jpg)
The Royals have officially traded Trevor Rosenthal to the San Diego Padres for two prospects, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic the first to report on the trade. The Royals receive outfielder Edward Olivares and a player to be named later. Olivares is a 24-year old outfielder who hit .283/.349/.453 with 18 HR and 35 stolen bases in Double-A last year, and has appeared in 13 Major League games this year. He was ranked as the #20 prospect in the system by MLB Pipeline, and #29 by Fangraphs, who ranked him as a 40 Future Value prospect.
Olivares was signed out of Venezuela by the Blue Jays but was acquired in a deal for infielder Yangervis Solarte. Olivares boasts a good power and speed combo, but needs to work on plate discipline with just a 6.8 percent walk rate in the minors. MLB Pipeline writes
Wiry and athletic, Olivares stands out for his athleticism and tools. He combines bat speed with a short right-handed swing to produce lots of hard contact. He generates good extension through the ball and drives it to all fields. Scouts believe there’ll be more power to come as he continues to add strength, but he could use a bit more plate discipline.
He is said to be capable of playing all three outfield spots and has above-average speed. He was seen as a fourth outfielder type until his impressive season in Double-A last year where he did increase his walk rate and show more power. Eric Longenhagen at Fangraphs wrote back in April, “I’m still not buying the power production — I don’t see 15-20 homer bat speed here — but rather a contact/defense fourth outfielder.”
First MLB home run was a nice muscle job the other way that barely cleared the fence. This is where the variance on his evaluation is, if he can keep doing this. Physically is capable of 15-20 HR but needs the approach/quality of contact to access it pic.twitter.com/SYRUBQKLMy
— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) August 29, 2020
The other player is a prospect not part of the 60-man club pool, and has to be a player to be named later until this off-season.
Outfielder Edward Olivares and a player to be named later are headed to Kansas City in the Trevor Rosenthal deal, sources tell ESPN. Players not on 60-man rosters technically can't be traded, but once this deal is completed, it is expected to include a low-level relief prospect.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 29, 2020
Trevor Rosenthal has been one of the most-discussed players at the trade deadline after a strong comeback season this year. The 30-year old Lee’s Summit native has a 3.29 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 13 2⁄3 innings and has converted all seven of his save opportunities. He has one of the best fastballs in the game this year and has been throwing strikes on a more consistent basis than he has in several seasons. Rosenthal is on a relatively low contract this year and will be a free agent at the end of the season, making him an attractive asset for many contenders.
The Royals and Padres have already hooked up together once this season on a trade, when the Royals sent lefty Tim Hill to San Diego for pitcher Ronald Bolaños and outfielder Franchy Cordero. The Royals had previously downplayed the possibility of moving anyone at the deadline with Assistant General Manager Scott Sharp saying “We believe in the team we have. We want to make sure we’re not subtracting from the team we have in any potential deals.” But with the club dropping five of their last seven and and five games back of a playoff spot, trading Rosenthal became more of a possibility.