2025 MLB commerce deadline grades: Report playing cards for each deal

It is MLB trade season!

From the early offers to get issues began to the last-minute rush of deadline day exercise on Thursday, July 31, that is your one-stop store for grades and evaluation breaking down the main points for each commerce as they go down.

Comply with alongside as ESPN MLB specialists Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield consider and grade every transfer, with the newest grades on the prime. This story will proceed to be up to date, so flip again for the freshest deadline evaluation.

Mariners get:
1B Josh Naylor

Diamondbacks get:
LHP Brandyn Garcia
RHP Ashton Izzi

Mariners grade: B+

That is the primary vital commerce heading into the ultimate week earlier than the deadline, and it is attention-grabbing partly as a result of it signifies the Diamondbacks are going to be dealing – Naylor may very well be the primary of a bunch which may embody Eugenio Suarez, Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, probably spicing up the deadline with some intriguing names.

Whereas third base was Seattle’s largest offensive gap, Naylor offers them a well-rounded hitter who has been one of many prime contact hitters within the majors this season, hitting .292/.360/.447 with 11 dwelling runs and the thirteenth lowest strikeout fee amongst certified hitters. Naylor has completed most of his harm towards right-handed pitchers, hitting .310/.390/.493 with 9 of his 11 dwelling runs. That is an improve over incumbent Luke Raley, who has hit .248/.370/.397 towards right-handers, however is simply 1-for-20 towards southpaws, with light-hitting Donovan Solano serving as his platoon associate.

Naylor can play on daily basis and suits someplace in the course of the lineup, which ranks within the backside 10 within the majors in strikeout fee, so his contact skill can be a pleasant addition. It additionally improves Seattle’s bench as Raley can now fill in at proper discipline (though Dominic Canzone has been hitting effectively) or DH, with Jorge Polanco maybe getting a while at second base over Cole Young. Rookie third baseman Ben Williamson is a superb defender however has only one dwelling run in 256 at-bats. Whereas Polanco has loads of expertise at third in his profession, he hasn’t began there since April 4 as a shoulder subject has restricted his throwing.

In different phrases: The Mariners may nonetheless search an improve at third base. The Diamondbacks would possibly wait till July 31 to deal Suarez, hoping that one of many a number of groups that wants a 3rd baseman will give in with a pleasant package deal of prospects. The Mariners did not quit any of their prime 10 prospects right here, so here is guessing that Jerry Dipoto and Mike Hazen aren’t completed exchanging textual content messages.

Diamondbacks grade: B

Whereas Garcia and Izzi did not rank in Kiley McDaniel’s prime 10 record of Mariners prospects, that is not essentially a knock on their potential: Seattle’s prime 10 is loaded with prime 100 total prospects. Garcia was ranked No. 13 on MLB.com’s workforce record and Izzi No. 16.

Drafted within the eleventh spherical out of Texas A&M in 2023, Garcia was a shocking success story as a starter in 2024, however the Mariners moved him to the bullpen this season and he simply made his MLB debut after posting a 3.51 ERA throughout Double-A and Triple-A with 42 strikeouts in 33.1 innings. He throws a mid-90s sinker together with a sweeper and cutter, and held lefties to a .235 common and .255 slugging proportion. He can most likely go straight to Arizona’s bullpen proper now, with the concept the Diamondbacks strive him as a starter in 2026. He is a pleasant sleeper prospect in a commerce like this, with no less than a flooring as a reliever and perhaps some upside as a back-end starter.

Izzi is a 21-year-old righty with a mid-90s fastball who was a fourth-round select of highschool in 2022, however he has struggled at high-A Everett with a 5.51 ERA throughout 12 begins. His fastball/sweeper combo may ultimately work as a reliever, though right-handed batters have hit him as laborious as lefties. He is a improvement venture.

Nothing too flashy right here, however there wasn’t going to be an enormous marketplace for Naylor and he was competing with the likes of Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna within the 1B/DH class, so Arizona most likely figured it was to strike first with Naylor – and provides them extra time to debate offers for his or her different pending free brokers.