Contents
Who did the Yankees get for Andrew Miller? We take a look at the prospects the team received in return for their star reliever.
Checkout this video:
The Yankees Trade Andrew Miller
The Yankees have traded Andrew Miller to the Indians for four prospects, as first reported by Jack Curry of the YES Network. The Yankees will receive Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield, J.P. Feyereisen, and Ben Heller.
The Yankees Receive Four Prospects
On July 31st, 2016, the New York Yankees traded relief pitcher Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians for four prospects. The Yankees received outfielder Clint Frazier, left-handed pitcher Justin Wilson, right-handed pitcher Cole Scheider and right-handed pitcher Ben Heller.
Frazier was the fourth overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft by the Indians. He is a highly touted outfield prospect who was ranked as the No. 32 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline prior to the trade. In 2016, Frazier was batting .273/.346/.447 with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs in 87 games for Triple-A Columbus.
Wilson was acquired by the Indians from the Detroit Tigers at the 2015 non-waiver trade deadline. He pitched in 50 games for Cleveland in 2016, posting a 3-2 record with a 3.46 ERA and 1 save. Wilson is arbitration eligible after the 2017 season and is under team control through 2019.
Cole Schneider was acquired by the Indians from the Washington Nationals in April of 2016. He made his Major League debut with Cleveland on July 3rd, 2016 and appeared in 2 games for the Tribe before being optioned back to Triple-A Columbus on July 6th. In 66 games for Columbus this season, Schneider batted .270/.366/.402 with 7 home runs and 37 RBIs.
Ben Heller was acquired by the Indians from the Kansas City Royals on December 16th, 2015 in exchange for infielder Brandon Moss. Heller made his Major League debut with Cleveland on June 7th, 2016 and has appeared in 18 games for the Tribe this season, posting a 0-0 record with a 1 save and a 3.86 ERA.
The Yankees Lose Their Closer
On July 31, 2016, the New York Yankees traded relief pitcher Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians in a deal that sent four minor league prospects to the Yankees. The trade was unexpected, as Miller had been one of the best relief pitchers in baseball over the past two seasons.
The Yankees acquired right-handed pitchers J.P. Feyereisen and Corey Comstock, as well as infielder Giovanny Urshela and outfielder Clint Frazier in the deal. All four prospects are currently playing in the minor leagues.
The Indians acquired a major league-ready closer who can help their team make a push for the playoffs. For the Yankees, they acquired four minor league prospects who could help them in the future.
Who Are the Prospects?
The Yankees have been busy this offseason, trading away key players like Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman in order to replenish their farm system. In return, they got a haul of prospects, some of which are ranked very highly. Let’s take a look at who the Yankees got in return for their two All-Star relievers.
Clint Frazier
Clint Frazier is a highly touted outfield prospect that the Yankees received from the Indians in the Andrew Miller trade. He was ranked as the #30 overall prospect by MLB.com heading into the 2016 season.
Frazier has plus power and is a good hitter, with the potential to be a middle-of-the-order bat. He has a strong arm and is a good defender in left field.
The biggest knock on Frazier is his strikeouts, as he often struggles to make contact with pitches. If he can improve his strikeout rate, he has a chance to be a very good player for the Yankees.
Justus Sheffield
Sheffield, 21, was acquired by the Yankees from the Indians in the 2016 Andrew Miller trade. The left-hander is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Yankees’ system by MLB Pipeline and entered the season as Baseball America’s No. 55 overall prospect. He was also ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Indians’ system by MLB Pipeline prior to last season.
Ben Heller
The Yankees acquired right-handed prospect Ben Heller and minor league left-hander J.P. Feyereisen from the Indians in exchange for All-Star reliever Andrew Miller, the team announced Sunday night.
Heller, 25, has split time between Double-A and Triple-A this season, posting a 2.88 ERA with 19 saves in 45 games. In 49 innings, he’s struck out 80 batters and walked just 13.
Feyereisen, 22, has a 2.23 ERA with 10 saves in 35 games for High-A Lynchburg. In 39 innings, he’s struck out 61 batters and walked 20.
J.P. Feyereisen
Feyereisen, 23, a right-hander from River Falls, Wis., was 3-4 with 19 saves, a 2.49 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 47 games for Double-A Akron this season. He’s expected to report to Trenton.
What Does This Mean for the Yankees?
The Yankees have been one of the most dominant teams in baseball over the last few years. They have made it to the playoffs each year and have won the World Series twice. However, they have made some moves this offseason that have made some people question their commitment to winning. One of those moves was trading Andrew Miller to the Indians for four prospects.
The Yankees Get Younger
The Yankees have been one of the most active teams this offseason, making several big trades and signing multiple free agents. One of their most significant moves was trading relief pitcher Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians for four minor league prospects.
This trade signals a change in philosophy for the Yankees, who have been one of the oldest teams in baseball over the past few years. By acquiring younger players like Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield, they are clearly trying to get younger and more athletic.
Only time will tell if this new strategy will pay off, but it is certainly an interesting change for one of the most storied franchises in baseball history.
The Yankees Get More Controllable Players
The Yankees got four controllable players in return for Andrew Miller. Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield, Ben Heller, and J.P. Feyereisen are all under team control for at least the next five years. That means the Yankees will have these players under contract for at least the next two rebuilds, if things go according to plan.
The Yankees Clear Salary
The Yankees made a big move at the trade deadline, dealing All-Star reliever Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians for a package of minor league prospects. The Yankees didn’t get a whole lot in return for their star reliever, but they did clear some salary off the books.
The Yankees will save about $9 million in salary by dealing Miller, who was making $9 million this season. They also sent outfielder Clint Frazier and left-handed pitcher Justus Sheffield to the Indians in the deal.
Frazier is a highly-touted prospect who was ranked as the 30th best prospect in baseball by Baseball America. Sheffield is a promising left-handed pitching prospect who was ranked as the Yankees’ fifth best prospect by Baseball America.
The Yankees are clearly trying to rebuild for the future, and they hope that Frazier and Sheffield can help them do that. For now, they’ll have to settle for saving some money on their payroll.
