The acquisition of Francisco Liriano got plenty of attention Monday, but the Toronto Blue Jays quietly added two well-regarded prospects in their deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates for Drew Hutchison.
The Pirates received significant criticism for giving up two quality young assets in Reese McGuire and Harold Ramirez, who were both ranked among the team’s top-10 prospects by Baseball America prior to the 2016 season.
Pirates GM Neal Huntington said the organization had other prospects blocking the ascent of McGuire and Ramirez to the big-league level, so the Blue Jays swooped in and made two solid additions to their farm system, which lacks upper-level prospects at this stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about what the Blue Jays are getting in Ramirez and McGuire, who will both report to the Blue Jays’ double-A affiliate in New Hampshire…
Name: Reese McGuire
Age: 21
Position: Catcher
Born: Seattle, Washington
Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 215 lbs.
Bats: Left
McGuire’s already considered by some to be a top-five prospect for the Blue Jays. The 14th overall selection of the 2013 draft was ranked by MLB.com as the No. 5 overall catching prospect in all of baseball before the season due to his reputation as one of the best defensive catchers in the minors.
He possesses an outstanding arm with quality receiving skills, but his power and overall batting skills need some improvement, and could ultimately determine his upside. Even so, there’s always room for a catcher with plus defensive skills in the majors.
“He’s a good athlete for a catcher as well, and may grow into more game power over time. His stock is down until he starts to hit a bit more, but the glove alone gives him a good shot at a big league career, even if it’s the one-day-a-week kind,” Baseball Prospectus wrote before the season.
McGuire hit .259 with a .337 on-base percentage with double-A Altoona this year, his first season at that level, and impressively registered more walks (29) than strikeouts (26). He hit just one home run with 37 RBI in 300-plus plate appearances.
Name: Harold Ramirez
Age: 21
Position: Outfielder
Born: Cartagena, Colombia
Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 220 lbs
Bats: Right
Ramirez, who entered the season on Baseball America’s top-100 prospect list, ranks fifth among Blue Jays prospects after Monday’s trade, according to MLB.com.
The Colombian outfielder has a high-upside bat and can drive the ball to all fields. He hasn’t shown a ton of power yet, as evidenced by just two home runs this season, but he has the strength and bat speed to develop.
Ramirez, who was teammates with McGuire at double-A this year, batted .306/.354/.401 with 49 RBI, 66 strikeouts, 21 walks, and seven stolen bases in 414 plate appearances this season. He needs to get a bit more efficient on the base paths as he’s been caught stealing 10 times in 2016.
The 21-year-old doesn’t have a great arm and projects more as a corner outfielder down the road, despite his foot speed and the fact that he’s spent the majority of this season in centre field. He has pretty good athleticism for a 220-pounder.
The Blue Jays could need corner outfielders beyond 2016, with everyday players such as Jose Bautista and Michael Saunders scheduled to hit free agency after the season, so Ramirez now has an eventual clear path to the MLB level, something he wasn’t going to get in Pittsburgh.
Ramirez had some difficulty with injuries earlier in his minor-league career. He played only 49 games in 2014 and then suited up in 80 games the following season, when he reported to camp out of shape.
The Blue Jays will be hoping to capture the potential of Ramirez’s bat, which seems considerable considering his contact skills and minor league successes.
