3 Mets prospects the White Sox should target in a Dylan Cease trade
Three New York Mets prospects the Chicago White Sox should target in a Dylan Cease trade.
The inevitable Dylan Cease trade seems like it can happen any day now. While it's going to be disappointing, all that we can hope for is that the Chicago White Sox get prospects back in return who can help them in the future.
With a top-of-the-line starter who has two years of club control on the market, the White Sox should be in a great position to land big-name prospects in return.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the New York Mets are now a team interested in the ace pitcher.
"The Mets, who are valuing the long game over 2024, would consider moving prospects for Cease because he has two years of control as opposed to, say, the club not being interested in Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes, who will be entering his walk year (plus there are strong doubts about how seriously the Brewers will consider dealing Burnes, at least before the trade deadline)."
With the Mets now interested, it's time to see which prospects the front office should be interested in trading for.
The Mets package won't be as intriguing as the Baltimore Orioles, but they do have prospects that have potential.
Kevin Parada has the hit tool to help the White Sox
Kevin Parada is an interesting prospect. The No. 5 ranked prospect in the Mets system went to Georgia Tech and was arguably the best college catcher in the country.
His first two years of professional baseball haven't been the best, but the potential is clearly there. He spent most of his season in A+ in 2023, where he slashed .265/.340/.447 and hit 11 home runs.
Parada struggled a ton in AA but he only played in 14 games. He finished with 3 home runs in 54 at-bats and hit just .185. A concerning start in AA for a 22-year-old, but it's tough to think anything of it considering he had 54 at-bats.
The power has to translate to this level a bit more for him to warrant the position he was drafted in. So far, he hasn't necessarily shined. However, that could change with a different organization.
While the White Sox have Edgar Quero, the No. 3 ranked prospect in their system, I don't believe it matters too much in this situation. To me, adding the best players is what's most important in deals like this. Parada has the potential to be a high-end power bat and that's something I'm interested in if I'm the White Sox.
Drew Gilbert is the No. 1 priority
From the first time I watched Drew Gilbert at the University of Tennessee, I thought he was going to be a superstar.
What he was able to do on the offensive side of the baseball in college turned heads and resulted in him being picked in the first round by the Houston Astros. Gilbert was then traded to the New York Mets in the Justin Verlander trade.
Gilbert did have injuries when he entered the minor leagues, but he's been healthy recently and has impressed offensively.
The 23-year-old spent the 2023 season in AA with New York for 35 games after the trade. He slashed .325/.423/.561. Gilbert hit six home runs in 123 at-bats.
When you watch a guy who can do what Drew Gilbert does, he gives you much more than what he does on the field. He plays with a different type of fire and passion that can ignite a clubhouse and that's a bonus for the White Sox.
While the point of this deal isn't to add someone who can fire up the clubhouse, his 55-grade hit tool, 55-grade field tool, and 60-grade arm tool will more than do the trick.
He's a gamer and someone who has the potential to be a fun big leaguer in the future.
What's Ryan Clifford's potential?
The other prospect that the New York Mets received in the Justin Verlander trade was 20 year old Ryan Clifford. Clifford, drafted out of high school by the Houston Astros in the 2022 draft in the 11th round, was one of the best prep players in the country. He fell in the rankings throughout his prep days, ranked 44th nationally, according to Perfect Game.
For most of his high school career, he was the unanimous No. 1 player in the class. He did struggle a bit during the summer circuit and that resulted in him being drafted in the 11th round. Since he's entered the professional ranks, there have been struggles at times. He's hit for power in stretches, blasting 16 home runs in A+ during 23 games with Houston.
The question for someone like Clifford is if he can be that superstar that he was expected to be for most of his prep career. This is obviously a completely different game than at the high school level, but he was considered a can't-miss prospect for a very long time.
Clifford could be a project prospect, but if he figures it out, he has the potential to be a positive in a deal like this.