A wave of deals are expected before Sunday's Roger Dorn Baseball League Keeper Deadline. You can track all of the last minute deals here as we approach the 9th Annual RDBL Draft set for Wednesday, 3/30 at 1:00pm PST with Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani and Jose Ramirez leading the group of 2022 Free Agents set to be auctioned off.
Mt. Diablo Devils Acquire 3B Justin Turner (2/$14) and 2022 6th Round Pick from Las Vegas Aristocrats for 3B Alec Bohm (2R/$3) and 2022 4th Round Pick
The Aristocrats continue to clear cap space for the return of Max Scherzer (2/$68) as Friday's deal will save the club an additional $11 while buying into the upside of Bohm.
Bohm, who was drafted third overall in 2018 and quickly moved through the minor leagues, hit .291 in only 673 career minor league at-bats before making his debut in Philadelphia. He hit .338 in 44 games during the shortened 2020 and people expected big things from him, but he returned in 2021 to hit just .247/.305/.342 with seven home runs, 46 runs, and 47 RBI in 115 games. There's likely more in the tank for the third baseman and his contract makes him well worth the risk for the 'Crats.
We keep expecting Turner's age (he's now 37) to catch up with him, but that surely did not happen in 2021. He played a full season (612 PA), posting a very competitive .278/.361/.471 slash line with 27 homers, 87 runs, and 87 RBI. That is a season that would make for a top-100 hitter easily if he were ten years younger. But, of course, he is not younger and eventually the production will grind to a halt. If that process will begin in 2022 is anybody's guess, but last season shows no evidence that it will be. His contact rate (84%) improved markedly from 2019 and 2020 (80%) and he maintained his elite launch angle profile (21% LD%, 44% FB% – exactly what you want from a slow guy) while notching a new career-high max launch velocity (109.8). The age concern is obvious, but a lot of that is baked into the price tag, which is much too cheap if you were only considering what he's done at the plate over the last few seasons.
Mission Viejo Maulers acquire RHP Chris Flexen (2FA/$5) and 3B Josh Jung (Minors) from Lunatic Fringe for OF JD Martinez (2/$25) and 2022 6th Round Pick
The Maulers long pursuit of Chris Flexen ended Friday as the club announced their acquisition of the right-hander and third base prospect Josh Jung from the Lunatic Fringe. JD Martinez's time as a Mauler was short-lived after being acquired earlier this week as he will head to the Fringe as the centerpiece of the deal.
Flexen battled his way through eight seasons in the minors, leading to a 43-31 record with a 3.61 ERA and 513 strikeouts over 588 innings. However, his lack of success at AAA (4.43 ERA and 179 strikeouts over 170.2 innings) and the Mets (3-11 with an 8.07 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 68 innings) led him to a trip to Korea. His stuff played well overseas in 2020 (8-4 with a 3.01 ERA and 132 strikeouts over 116.2 innings).
With the Mariners last year, Flexen had five disaster games (25 runs, 46 baserunners and six home runs over 21.2 innings) over his 31 starts. He had a 2.68 ERA, 1.133 WHIP and 109 strikeouts over his other 158 innings. He will slot in behind Tommy John returnee Justin Verlander and Aaron Civale in the Maulers rotation.
Jung might be the steal of the deal despite a torn labrum in his shoulder likely ending his 2022 season before it started. Jung, the eighth overall pick in MLB's amateur draft in 2019 out of Texas Tech, hit .326 with 19 home runs and 61 RBIs in 78 games combined at the Double-A and Triple-A levels last year after missing the first two months of the season because of another injury. He should be well positioned for a 2023 Opening Day activation.
Martinez bounced back last year after a disappointing 2020 season, blasting 28 bombs along with a .286/.349/.518 triple slash in 634 trips to the plate. While the numbers were strong by an objective measure, they were a notch below the MVP-caliber production we saw from him between 2017-2019, where Martinez put up an otherworldly 1.007 OPS, .306 ISO, and 124 home runs, the most dingers by any single player during that three-year stretch. Between Martinez's down 2020 and age (he'll turn 35 during the 2022 season), one can't help but wonder if his best days are behind him.
Lake Merced Goutfish acquire C Alejandro Kirk (2/$1) and 2022 4th Round Pick from Mission Viejo Maulers for 2022 3rd and 6th Round Picks
The Mission Viejo Maulers continued their busy week, completing their fourth deal by sending catcher Alejandro Kirk to the Goutfish for a pair of picks.
Kirk is the type of player that is often overlooked as he is a bowling ball at 5-foot-8, 265 pounds. He's given the fantasy community reason to be excited about his bat, however, posting above-average slash lines in his two MLB seasons so far. His 2021 wasn't nearly as good as his short run in 2020 (165 wRC+), but Kirk still managed eight homers while striking out a mere 22 times in 189 plate appearances (11.6%). He missed multiple months with a left hip flexor strain, spent some time in the minors and didn't end on a particularly strong note, batting .200 over the final month of the season.
Meanwhile, Danny Jansen exploded for a .310/.365/.707 line over the final month, creating some questions about Kirk's role behind the dish to begin 2022. Kirk's framing didn't grade out well last year and the Blue Jays have another exciting catcher in the pipeline in Gabriel Moreno, but Kirk already showed at ages 21 and 22 that he can easily clear the low offensive bar at the position.
Meinert Hops Acquire LHP Eric Lauer (2FA/$5) and SS JP Crawford (2FA/$5) from Spokane Fightin' Fish for SS Jordan Groshans (Minors) and 2022 5th Round Pick
More to come...
Asti Grape Stompers Acquire C Willson Contreras (2/$23) from Lake Merced Goutfish for 2022 2nd Round Pick
More to come...
Idaho Taters Acquire LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2/$13) from Asti Grape Stompers for 2022 1st Round Pick (13th Overall)
Mission Viejo Maulers Acquire LHP Tyler Anderson (2FA/$5) from Las Vegas Aristocrats for 2022 6th Round Pick
Lake Merced Goutfish Acquire C Mitch Garver (2/$8) from Spokane Fightin' Fish for 2022 4th Round Pick
Alamo Short Stacks Acquire LHP Alex Wood (2FA/$5) from Spokane Fightin' Fish for RHP Emerson Hancock (Minors)
Burlingame Blue Ducks Acquire LHP Steven Matz (2FA/$5) from Honolulu Hammerheads for 2022 6th Round Pick