The Rays have acquired infield prospect Esteban Quiroz from the Padres, Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen reports (Twitter link). Quiroz represents the player to be named later in the December trade that saw Tommy Pham and two-way prospect Jake Cronenworth go to San Diego, while the Rays received Hunter Renfroe and infield prospect Xavier Edwards.
The 28-year-old Quiroz is a longtime veteran of the Mexican League, only joining a big league organization after signing a minors deal with the Red Sox in the 2017-18 offseason. A year later, Quiroz was swapped to the Padres in exchange for Colten Brewer, and is now on the move again to Tampa. All the while, Quiroz has done nothing but hit since joining the affiliated ranks, with a .274/.390/.541 slash line and 26 home runs over 499 combined plate appearances at the Double-A and Triple-A levels in the Boston and San Diego farm systems.
Quiroz obviously has a significant age and experience advantage over virtually all of his minor league counterparts, plus his Triple-A performance in 2019 (a .923 OPS in 366 PA) has the twin caveats of coming in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and during the unprecedented offensive explosion that was the 2019 Triple-A season. That being said, Quiroz also had a strong track record at the plate before reaching the minors, hitting .293/.402/.451 over 1573 career plate appearances in the Mexican League. Quiroz only had 38 homers in those 1573 PA, so while it’s probably fair to say that his power game was aided by the Triple-A ball, his on-base skills and overall approach at the plate seems to be translating well.
As a left-handed hitter who seems just about big league-ready, Quiroz is another intriguing addition to the Rays’ depth chart. Brandon Lowe and Joey Wendle, two other lefty bats, are seemingly ahead of Quiroz in terms of second base duty, though all three players have enough multi-positional flexibility that the Rays (who mix and match their lineups as much as any club in baseball) can conceivably find at-bats for any of them. Quiroz has mostly played second base over the last two seasons, though he has played shortstop and third base during his time in the Mexican League.
Looking at the five-player deal as a whole, the Rays dealt away the more accomplished MLB performer in Pham, though Pham is also older, more expensive, and perhaps a bit less defensively adept than Renfroe. While Cronenworth is a solid prospect in his own right, Edwards and Quiroz represents a nice return for Tampa Bay, as the Rays get a near-term option in Quiroz and more of a longer-term player in Edwards.
something here’s curious in the fact that they swapped Quiroz for Cronenworth.
Does anyone know the contingency part of the trade? I heard there was one in place if Phams elbow kept him out a certain amount of games?? Any truth to that? I know obviously that could not matter if there is a shortened season but interested if there is a contingency
So far as I know from media reports and interviews, Preller is the only person who claimed there was a contingency in place. In fact, it was denied by the Rays.
The troubling part is that Pham’s got a partial UCL tear, which means he could go down at any time for TJ surgery. Add that to his degenerative eye condition and oblique strain earlier this Spring, and his contributions could be nil.
So all the players signed for one yr. basically get a free ride by not playing at all this year. For the season will be cancelled. If the players get paid for not playing how about all the emp’s of businesses that had to shut down, restaurants, theatres, most main street businesses, most retail businesses, etc. Those emp’s are not being paid, sad. 50% of baseball players make more in one yr. then the ave. family makes in a lifetime and the union for these players demand they get paid, that’s insane. This is the time for MLB to start the baseball strike and stop kowtowing to the union and MLBPA demands.
Do you think the MLB owners should keep the money instead? Who is more likely to do some good with the money and put it into their local communities? 30 owners or 700+ players?
You automatically assume that owners are greedy and evil because they achieved a level of success that most people can only dream of? Are you jealous or brainwashed?
Must prefer Vosler over Quiroz.
Little bumbed because was hoping he’d be the 2B. Reminded me a lot of Quilvio Veras.
Smaller dude with high obp abilities.
Quilvio Veras was the poor mans Pat Listach
Veras was steady. His main problem was when he did go yard… he kept trying to go yard and it drastically affective his offense
Veras was huge in our 98 World Series year. He walked more than he struck out, and his OBP of .378 was perfect for a leadoff hitter. I’ll take that kind of “steady” all day long.
Veras was better than Listach. Clueless take. Be better.
Too many options at 2B atm. Cronenberg, Profar, Miller, Abrams (the obvious long term answer), Garcia. Too many ponies (pun) in the stable.
Profar is an option at 2B like Myers is an option at 3B.
IMO, the only battle at 2B should be between Dozier and Garcia. Profar was Preller being stupid, and the rest of those guys should go to the minors to start the year.
Garcia shouldn’t even be in consideration. He should only be a plug and play player and he thrives at it.
Profar was Preller being Preller. One thing that bugs me about the guy is that he leans too heavily towards acquiring players (and manages for that matter) who have or had ties to the Rangers.
I understand the concept of going with people that one is familiar with, but Preller has way too much tunnel vision.
Preller has a problem identifying ML talent and roster needs.
Preller got fleeced again
Agreed don’t get why you throw in a top 100 prospect if you’re the Padres. Edwards has good potential. We will see but seems like an over for a 32 year old corner outfielder.
Edward’s had no power, cant even barely hit a double.
I’m guessing they decided he had no future with the team because of it.
@VegasSDfan you’re right. The Padres have no use for a switch-hitting MI who never gets out and has the speed to turn the singles and walks he does get into doubles.
He has “no power?” Do you know anything about baseball? Every player in the lineup doesn’t need to be a power guy. That’s just not a good criticism at all.
All in all, I like the deal for both sides. The Rays get a big boy power bat in Renfroe, and Edwards who is going into the top ranks of their farm (plus Quiroz who looks like he might have revived his career). The Padres get Pham and Cronenworth. Pham will help them go on their “never gonna happen playoff run”, and Cronenworth is an intriguing two way guy who goes to the farm.
Good trade for both sides, and it’s one of the more fair trades this offseason. Maybe.
Agreed: all these players are good gets and better fits for the other team. Good trade both sides.
I was leaning padres by a smidge and I know this guy is no top prospect but looks like he can be an above average hitter so I’m gonna swap and lean towards the Rays won this deal (again)
There’s absolutely no clear winner here, come on. Pham is elite. All players in the deal are good or have high ceilings.
Pham probably needs TJS and now the Padres will only get him for one year
What happened to you MikeEmbletonSmellsBad? Did you have a bad experience with a Friar?
A. J. Preller happened to me.
If I want to listen to children whine I can volunteer at a pre-school. I don’t need it here from you.
I’d challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you’re unarmed.
Both of you are dizzying bores.
You have the best name on this board, though. I think MikeEmbleton is either Preller himself, a relative, or a paid lackey.
I hoped you might like it…
well if he needs TJ he should do it now and sign a one year extension now.
@Strike Four … Pham is good. He is NOT elite.
That’s a very odd take. This guy is more than likely not a needle mover whatsoever.
Renfore strikes out 34% of the time has a .290 OBP and will bat seventh in the Rays line up his average will be .225 at best and yes he’ll hit 30 HR’s but?
Says the guy whose username refers to his IQ.
Get your facts right, nowheretogo. Renfroe’s K-rate is NOT 34%. On top of that, his BABIP last year was only .239. Wil Myers is the one with a 34% K-rate. Aaron Judge and Miguel Sano also had higher K-rates than Renfroe, AND higher BABIP.
@SdHotDawg getting the facts wrong is his thing. He also said that Trea Turner is injured more often than he is on the field, that Luis Urias has negativity, that Jake Cronenworth is better than Xavier Edwards and that the Marlins gave up their best pitching prospect for Jonathan Villar.
Wow. It’s probably a good thing I missed those posts!
Typical Rays guy: he’s totally going to put up a .900+ OPS and 4+ WAR for them for sure
If you’re predicting this then it won’t happen. Find the Astros trashcan so you can have a roof over your head this weekend. The rain is getting to you.
Your talking about Pham?
Still say if there is no season they cannot take a yr away from the players from the team and fans. There’s too many players signed for one yr or two yrs.