Yankees Acquire Martin Prado from Diamondbacks in Trade

Well, Brian Cashman waited long enough. In a last minute trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Yankees acquired an excellent utility man in Martin Prado in exchange for power-hitting minor league catcher Peter O’Brien. Prado will definitely help the Yankees out, as he can play bother corner outfield positions as well as every position in the infield except for catcher. The 30-year-old right-handed hitter is great defensively, and very good offensively. What’s great about Prado is that he’s not a rental, and the Yankees will have him under control through the 2016 season. While he hasn’t played in right field much at all, it shouldn’t be too hard for him to make the transition over to right field, a position where the Yankees are in need of support. In 2014, Prado is having a down year batting .270 with 5 home runs and 42 RBI, but it is far below his career numbers, and and a change of scenery should benefit him down the stretch, as he goes from a team in the cellar to the Bronx, who are right in the thick of a playoff run.

As for O’Brien, who has hit 33 home runs between Single-A and Double-A in 2014, he really didn’t have a place with the Yankees in the future. With guys like Brian McCann, John Ryan Murphy, Austin Romine and Gary Sanchez in front of him on the roster at the catcher’s position and Teixeira, Greg Bird and others in front of him at first base. The Yankees improved their roster by trading O’Brien, and improved the young farmhand’s chances of making an impact in the Major Leagues. All and all this was a very good trade for the Bombers. If only they did it sooner before causing us to go on a Twitter frenzy. Play Ball!