The trade deadline sell off has begun.
The Pirates have traded veteran first baseman Carlos Santana to the Brewers Thursday for minor-league shortstop Jhonny Severino, per source.
With the trade deadline Tuesday, Santana was one of the players who was expected to be discussed in trade talks by the last-place Pirates, as he is a veteran on an expiring contract. The 37-year-old first baseman produced league average offensive numbers, hitting .235 with a .732 OPS, 12 home runs and a team-high 53 RBIs, while also leading all first basemen with six defensive runs saved.
While he knew a trade was a possibility, he didn't focus on that during what had been a very strong road trip for him this past week, where he hit three home runs and three doubles over the six-game trip.
“Honestly, I don’t think about that," Santana was telling me about the approaching trade deadline Wednesday in San Diego. "If it comes, it’s fine. If it doesn’t come, it’s fine. I love Pittsburgh, this organization. It’s been really comfortable. If something happens, I cannot control it. For me, my mentality is to play hard everyday, prepare and help my team.”
Santana's greatest impact on the team was arguably in the clubhouse, where he quickly became a leader for a young team that has had 11 different players make their major-league debut this season.
"He means a ton to us, especially right now, as young as we are, and as young as we are with younger Latin players," Derek Shelton said this weekend. "I think it [was] one of the reasons we identified him this offseason."
Santana was set to become a free agent at the end of this season after signing a one-year, $6.725 million deal this winter.
In exchange for their clean up hitter, the Pirates receive Severino, 18, who was one of the Brewers big international free agent splashes a year ago, signing for $1.23 million. In 12 games at the Florida Complex League, he hit .250 with four home runs, five stolen bases and an .872 OPS.
Jhonny Severino is tied for the ACL-lead with 4 HRs in his first 6 games 💣#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/IGepJKoYjr
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) June 15, 2023
In a scouting report sent to DK PIttsburgh Sports by a league source, Severino is a 45-grade fielder (which could mean third base is more of a possibility than shortstop) with limited power and questionable approach at the plate. The last point could be just because he is 18 and getting his first taste of stateside baseball.
Regardless, even in a best-case scenario, it will be years before Severino approaches the major-league radar.
Severino was ranked as the Brewers' No. 28 prospect according to Baseball America.
With Santana out of the mix, first base is likely going to be filled by Ji-Man Choi and Connor Joe, though that might be a very short-term solution when it comes to the former.
Now that the Pirates have started their trade deadline moves, the question comes down to how much are they willing to sell. They have received calls on All-Stars David Bednar and Mitch Keller, but the asking price is high. The team is willing to listen, but at this time, it doesn't seem likely that something will come together.
Choi and Rich Hill, on the other hand, are a different story. Both veterans are set to become free agents at the end of the year and are logical deadline targets. Andrew McCutchen is also on an expiring contract, but will not be traded, as both sides are very happy with their reunion and don't want it to end.
The deadline this year is Tuesday at 5 p.m.
