One day after trading Lucas Duda to the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Mets acquired AJ Ramos of the Miami Marlins. The Marlins will be receiving minor league prospects Ricardo Cespedes and Merandy Gonzalez.
We have acquired RHP A.J. Ramos from the Miami Marlins in exchange for minor league OF Ricardo Cespedes & minor league RHP Merandy Gonzalez.
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 29, 2017
New York Mets Acquire AJ Ramos From Miami Marlins
The Mets making a deal to bring somebody on board may sound confusing at first considering general manager Sandy Alderson has stated that they would be sellers at the deadline. They proved that yesterday as they shipped Duda to Tampa Bay for Drew Smith who is a Double-A relief prospect.
This deal isn’t just for 2017 though as Ken Rosenthal clarified right after breaking the news of the trade.
AJ Ramos makes sense for #Mets – under control through next season.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2017
It looks like Alderson will use the next few days to make whatever moves that will help the Mets for 2018 and beyond.
The Prospects
Cespedes is the Mets’ 22nd-ranked prospect in their farm system according to MLB Pipeline. He is an outfielder currently on a rehab assignment with the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York Penn League. Cespedes is slashing .255/.283/.294 with four runs scored, one double, one home run, 15 RBI, four walks, and one stolen base in 29 games across three minor league levels in 2017.
Gonzalez is the Mets’ ninth-ranked prospect also according to MLB Pipeline. He is a right-handed starting pitcher who was pitching for the Class A-Advanced St. Lucie Mets. He is 12-3 with a 1.78 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts in 106 innings and 17 starts. He made 11 starts with the Class A Columbia Fireflies and six starts for the St. Lucie Mets.
