Earlier today, the Texas Rangers traded Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers for prospects Willie Calhoun, A.J. Alexy, and Brendon Davis.
To make heads or tails out of the deal, we asked Christopher Crawford of Rotoworld to weigh in on the prospects. You can follow Crawford on Twitter here.
Did the Rangers get fair value for Darvish?
I think so, in fact, they might have been clear "winners," if such thing exists. Darvish is exceptional, but to get three quality prospects for a player that wasn't going to be there next year is well done. Ranger fans should have zero complaints.
Where does Calhoun play?
I don't know where he's gonna play, but he's so good with the bat that I'm not entirely sure it matters. Yes, it'd be nice if he could stay up the middle, but with plus power and possibly a plus hit tool, the bat is going to play anywhere. My best guess is that he ends up at first, but I'd try him in left, as well.
What's the book on Alexy?
Alexy was a personal favorite of mine in the 2016 draft. His 11th round selection had more to do with bonus stuff than talent. He has two pitches that could be plus in his fastball and curve, and he's still filling out his frame. The change needs work, but if it can be an average pitch, he's a mid-rotation starter.
What about Davis?
Davis is a bit of a wild card. He flashes five tools, but never on a consistent basis. He has improved his approach at the plate, but is going to strike out a ton, and I'm not sure where he ends up on defense. He's basically your lottery ticket in the deal, but the Rangers do a pretty good job of developing talents like this.
Where does this leave the Dodgers farm system?
It's still a very good farm system. Walker Buehler, Alex Verdugo and Yadier Alvarez are still here, and that gives them a top three that competes with any. The depth takes a hit, but they've done a great job of drafting and hitting the IFA market, so they'll likely reload. It took a hit, but not as substantial of one as many others would have in this type of deal.
Again, you can follow Crawford on Twitter here.
