The Mariners Traded For A Second Baseman Prospect

Mariners Get: Shed Long (from Reds)
Mariners Give: Josh Stowers (to Yankees)
Unrelated: Sonny Gray from Yankees to Reds

Stowers was a high draft pick in 2018 who plays the outfield. Given the recent spate of trades this offseason, the Mariners have found themselves with a glut of outfielders. Where we’re thin is at second base, so this fills an obvious hole.

Long figures to crack AAA this year, after playing in AA the better part of the last two seasons. He didn’t hit for a tremendous average last year, but he walks like a madman, and he’s also got some pop (12 homers, 5 triples, & 22 doubles), making him a plus-prospect going forward. Considering he’s only 23 years old this year, there’s still plenty of time to bring him along slowly. If he pans out, he takes over for Dee Gordon as early as 2020. If he doesn’t pan out, maybe we don’t see him in a Mariners uniform until 2021, or not at all.

Without knowing much about prospects, I don’t know what to think. If it fills a hole, then I have to like the thought process behind it. But, it’ll all depend on how these prospects pan out, which is impossible to know at this point.

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