Published 10:20 am CT, Last Updated 11:23 am:
With roughly five hours before Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline, the Cardinals have struck a deal, trading outfielder Tommy Pham and $500K in international bonus pool money to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for three prospects, the club confirmed.
In the trade, the redbirds received outfielder Justin Williams, left-handed pitcher Genesis Cabrera, and right-hander Roel Ramirez. Williams was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Rays’ No. 14 prospect, while Cabrera was ranked No. 25 and Ramirez was outside the top 30.
Pham broke out last season for the Cardinals at age 29, hitting 23 home runs, driving in 73 runs and stealing 25 bases while slashing .306/.411/.520 in 128 games. This year, though, the outfielder has taken a step back, and to date is hitting .248/.331/.399 with 14 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 98 contests.
A member of the Cardinals organization since he was drafted in 2006, Pham is set to be arbitration-eligible for the first time after this season. During this past offseason, the Cardinals and Pham were far off in years and money on a potential contract extension, with Pham eventually declining a two-year deal.
“It just wasn’t strong enough,” Pham said of the offer at the time, “I won’t sell myself short.”
The Cardinals ended up simply renewing Pham’s contract for the 2018 season, which paid him roughly $570,000.
Justin Williams / Durham Bulls on Twitter
As for the return, Williams was certainly the highest-value player. The 22-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is a former 2nd round draft pick who earlier this month made his MLB debut. In 94 games with the Rays’ AAA affiliate this season, Williams was batting .258/.313/.376 with eight home runs and 46 RBI.
“He’s an underrated athlete who moves well and has the tools, including a solid-average arm, to become an adequate corner outfielder,” according to MLB Pipeline’s report on Williams. “Still scraping the surface of his offensive potential, Williams is seemingly a few adjustments away from putting it all together en route to the Major Leagues.”
Cabrera, 21, has posted a 7-6 record at the AA level this season, pitching to a 4.12 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) while racking up 124 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings.
“That Cabrera already repeats his delivery well bodes well for his chances of remaining a starter, especially with so much physical projection remaining in his wiry frame,” MLB Pipeline’s report on the Dominican pitcher reads. “He has the arsenal and control profile to develop into a big league starter, although his fastball-slider pairing also gives him a bright future as a reliever.”
Finally, Ramirez, 23, has posted a 2.53 ERA and 3-1 record over 53 1/3 innings in the lower minor leagues this season. He’s been used primarily in relief, and has 60 strikeouts in 53 1/3 frames.
Tyler O’Neill / Cardinals on Twitter
MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch reports that Williams is expected to be assigned to AAA Memphis, while Ramirez and Cabrera are “tentatively slated” to head to the Cardinals’ AA affiliate in Springfield.
Pham’s spot on the Cardinals roster will be filled by power-hitting outfielder Tyler O’Neill, the organization’s second-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The 23-year-old O’Neill played in 19 games for the big-league club earlier this season, and is hitting .311/.388/.711 at Memphis this season with 26 home runs and 61 RBI in 61 games.
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