The Brewers’ trade of Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night for infielder Joey Ortiz, pitcher D.L. Hall, and the 34th overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft was the largest domino in a tumultuous offseason for the team.
One of the players most likely to be moved in baseball coming into the offseason was Burnes. After the 2024 season, he will become a free agent, and the chance of a contract extension with the Brewers was eliminated the instant he took home the 2021 National League Cy Young Award. To be competitive with a small payroll, the Brewers have stated that they will always look to trade expiring contracts for controllable talent.
As the offseason wore on, though, it seemed less probable that a Burnes deal would occur. In an attempt at public relations manuver, general manager Matt Arnold stated that the Brewers were under no obligation to deal their ace and would have even liked to keep him. Journalists began to throw cold water on a possible agreement.
It was beginning to look like the Brewers were willing to part with one last dance with Burnes in exchange for a compensation selection pick following his departure rather than the potential trade returns. In the end, the front desk discovered this wasn’t accurate.
It was always ideal to get long-term talent at a lower cost, and a deal needed to be done before Opening Day. It would only make sense to hold Burnes and deal him at the July trade deadline if the Brewers were eliminated from contention. Considering
Arnold succeeded in closing a deal with the team that was most suited to sign Burnes. The Orioles have maybe the best farm system in the game and were in need of starting pitchers.
Regarding the trade itself, there are no unexpected details. The return was realistic and fair, and it fits the Brewers’ strategy of contending in the near and long terms (the surprising signing of Rhys Hoskins never changed that approach).
There was a discrepancy between Burnes’ trading value and his reputation, despite what others may contend.
His accolades may include a Cy Young Award and three All-Star selections, but Burnes has one year of control remaining and is coming off a season that was more solid (3.39 ERA, 87 FIP-, 94 DRA-) than elite. A package of talented but less-heralded players would always be the best the Brewers would get.
In addition, the team got a draft pick comparable to what they would have gotten had Burnes signed a different deal. That is an important thing to note.
Although Ortiz and Hall are skilled players prepared to contribute in the Major Leagues, they may not be as highly regarded prospects as Colby Mayo, Heston Kjerstad, or Connor Norby.
Ortiz was ranked 63rd overall by MLB Pipeline and sixth in the Orioles system. Prior to graduating, Hall was ranked as Baltimore’s No. 5 prospect in 2022. Overall, Baseball America ranked him 93rd. Both players are under contract through the 2029 season, and they have options left.
With a maximum exit velocity of 114 mph and a 44.1% hard hit rate at Triple-A last season, Ortiz possesses the outstanding glove of Brice Turang with greater power. In just 389 plate appearances, he hit 30 doubles thanks to his outstanding 31% line drive percentage. Although Ortiz is not a great barreler, he plays well as a middle infielder and has a doubles machine profile.
Prior to Turang’s concerning rookie season, Ortiz was supposed to be Milwaukee’s second baseman and Willy Adames’ eventual replacement.
Hall fits the mould of a pitcher who would flourish in Milwaukee’s pitching development programme.
The four-seam fastball of the left-hander is in the mid-to upper-90s in velocity. It enters the zone at a flat angle that helps it generate a lot of whiffs because of his low-three-quarters arm slot. His slider and curveball move above average, according to Statcast. The only pitch in Hall’s repertoire that isn’t rated as above average or higher is his changeup.
