The five most interesting prospects traded at the MLB trade deadline

The deals came fast and furious in the days leading up to MLB’s trading deadline on Tuesday.

With two months left in the season, 21 teams are either in playoff position or within five games of a postseason berth. That meant there were more buyers than sellers and those contending teams were willing to part with prospects to try to win now.

More than 80 minor-league players were traded. Let’s look at five of the most interesting prospects who are changed organizations:

Robby Snelling, Marlins

The 20-year-old left-hander was part of the high cost the San Diego Padres paid to acquire All-Star closer Tanner Scott and fellow reliever Bryan Hoeing from the Miami Marlins.

Snelling was not having a good season in the Texas League with a 2-8 record, 6.01 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 16 starts for Double-A San Antonio. However, Snelling is just 20 years old and was ranked as the 27th-best prospect in the game by Baseball America coming into the season and is currently No. 44 on MLB.com’s list.

Snelling was also BA’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and the Marlins are willing to allow him to return to that form.

Dylan Lesko, Rays

The Padres parted with another prized pitching prospect when they shipped the right-hander to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a three-player package for reliever Jason Adam.

Like Snelling, Lesko is also 20 and struggled mightily this season in the Padres’ system. He was 1-9 with a 6.46 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 16 starts for High-A Fort Wayne.

However, Lesko is well-regarded despite the awful record. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 38 prospect in baseball at the start of the season and MLB.com has him rated No. 74 on its current list.

Thayron Liranzo, Tigers

The Los Angeles Dodgers included Liranzo in a trade with the Detroit Tigers that netted resurgent right-hander Jack Flaherty. Liranzo, a catcher/first baseman, played in the All-Star Futures game last month and began the season as the 70th-best prospect in the eyes of Baseball America.

Liranzo struggled at High-A Great Lakes, hitting .220/.344/.356 with seven home runs in 74 games. However, he belted 24 homers last season in the Low-A California League.

The 21-year-old switch-hitter’s defense is suspect, and some scouts wonder if he will eventually have to give up catching. He has thrown out 14 of 94 runners attempting to steal this season for a poor 15% success rate.

Connor Norby, Marlins

Norby is the only player on this list who has major-league experience. The second baseman played nine games for the Baltimore Orioles before being dealt, hitting .188/.188/.406 with two home runs.

Earlier in the season, the 24-year-old left-handed hitter put up impressive numbers at Triple-A Norfolk. He had a slash line of .297/.389/.519 with 16 home runs and 13 stolen bases in 80 games.

The one drawback is Norby struck out 104 times in 375 plate appearances. However, that did not deter the Marlins from insisting that Norby be part of the trade that sent left-hander Trevor Rogers to the Orioles.

Nick Yorke, Pirates

The Red Sox and Pirates made an interesting swap of first-round draft picks with Boston sending Yorke to Pittsburgh for right-hander Quinn Priester. The Pirates selected Priester in 2019 and the Red Sox took Yorke, an infielder/outfielder, a year later.

Yorke has been OK in his professional career with a .277/.359/.437 slash line in 370 games over four minor-league seasons. However, the 22-year-old stepped up his game after being promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester this season, slashing .308/.410/.490 with six homers and six steals in 38 games.

The Pirates assigned Yorke to Triple-A Indianapolis, but general manager Ben Cherington believes he can help the major-league club as Pittsburgh tries to reach the postseason for the first time since 2015.