Phelps Traded to Chicago Cubs
The Toronto Blue Jays have traded David Phelps to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for starting pitcher Thomas Hatch. Phelps, a 32-year-old right-handed pitcher, is in his seventh season and is joining his fifth team.
Cubs get David Phelps for prospect Thomas Hatch @ShiDavidi 1st
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 30, 2019
David Phelps Career Highlights
Phelps attended the University of Notre Dame and played three seasons with the Fighting Irish. The New York Yankees drafted Phelps in the 14th round of the 2008 Major League draft. Phelps made his Major League debut when he made the Yankees opening day roster in 2012.
Phelps played three seasons with the Yankees with a 15-14 record and a 4.21 ERA. He had Tommy John surgery in 2013. He was traded to the Miami Marlins before the start of the 2015 season. In three seasons with the Marlins, Phelps had a 13-18 record with a 3.52 ERA.
Phelps was traded to the Seattle Mariners midway through the 2017 season. He appeared in only 10 games with the Mariners, going 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA. Phelps missed the rest of the season with an elbow injury. In March of 2018, he had Tommy John surgery again, ending his 2018 season and his Mariners career.
Phelps signed with the Blue Jays prior to the 2019 season. He made his debut in June after rehabbing from surgery and has a 0-0 record with a 3.63 ERA.
David Phelps Scouting Report
Phelps career numbers are 30-33 with a 3.88 ERA. The Cubs are getting a very dependable bullpen arm who can provide high-quality outings. Perhaps the best thing Phelps has going right now is how fresh his arm is, since he has only pitched 17 innings this season.
Phelps fastball can get as high as 96 MPH. His pitches include both a two and a four-seam fastball and a cutter. He also throws a knuckle-curve that ranges between 81 and 83 MPH.
The Cubs are in a tie for first place with the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central Division. The Milwaukee Brewers are one game out of first place. The Cubs are tied for the Wild Card lead, too.
Thomas Hatch Scouting Report
Hatch is 24 years old and is a right-handed starting pitcher. He played two seasons at Oklahoma State and went 11-5 with a 2.96 ERA. In 2016, he was the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year. This came after he missed the entire 2015 season with an arm injury.
Originally drafted in 2013 by the Colorado Rockies, Hatch declined to sign. The Cubs then drafted Hatch in the third round of the 2016 Major League draft.
Hatch has a 17-27 record with a 4.10 ERA in three minor league seasons with the Cubs. At the time of the trade, he was playing for Double-A Tennessee. He projects as a back-end starter.
Hatch’s fastball can reach as high as 94 MPH. His slider is solid and can be an out pitch. Hatch also throws a changeup, but it is not as consistent as his other pitches. He does have problems with his control, suggesting that he is better suited for the bullpen.
The Cubs and the Blue Jays are two teams going in opposite directions. The Cubs are looking to win now, while the Blue Jays are building for the future. This trade should help both teams meet their goals.
