Shocking Trade: Baltimore Orioles Confirm the signing of Veteran Tarik Skubal from Detroit Tigers…

The Orioles are making waves in their pursuit of Tarik Skubal. However, they are reluctant to give up the No. 1 prospect in MLB, Jackson Holliday. Can they acquire Skubal without including him? Let’s view one attempt to do just that.

A recent tweet from MLB Network detailed a trade proposal to land the Tigers’ ace. Proposed by former infielder, Mark DeRosa, the package includes corner outfielder Heston Kjerstad, C/1B Samuel Basallo, and 2B/OF Connor Norby. On the surface, you’d think three prospects/inexperienced big leaguer wouldn’t really move the needle very far when chasing a Cy Young favorite like Skubal. But after one look at these three, you’ll see they are very talented.

However, trying to nab Skubal without Jackson Holliday is going to result in no trade unless the Orioles are willing to pay much more than even Skubal is worth. But before we immediately dismiss DeRosa’s trade package that seems a little light, let’s dissect it and get to know these young Orioles.

OF Heston Kjerstad

Heston Kjerstad was the Orioles’ No. 4 prospect when the season started. But now, his prospect status has fallen and he is a rookie. He made his debut last year going 7-30 with two home runs. This year has been much better for Kjerstad who is 16-for-54 with three home runs. His .408 OBP, though it is a small sample size, is rather impressive. While promising, his 18 strikeouts aren’t really a big selling point.

C/1B Samuel Basallo

The No. 2 prospect in the Orioles’ farm system and No. 12 overall in baseball, Samuel Basallo, has had some success in the minors. He is currently slashing .273/.338/.443 with 12 home runs in 300 at-bats in Double-A. Last year, Basallo hit to the tune of a .313 average with 20 home runs. This also came with 7 triples (yes, he is a catcher). Scouts rate his hitting ability, power, and arm at a 60/80. At age 19, he definitely has room to grow.

OF Heston Kjerstad

Heston Kjerstad was the Orioles’ No. 4 prospect when the season started. But now, his prospect status has fallen and he is a rookie. He made his debut last year going 7-30 with two home runs. This year has been much better for Kjerstad who is 16-for-54 with three home runs. His .408 OBP, though it is a small sample size, is rather impressive. While promising, his 18 strikeouts aren’t really a big selling point.

C/1B Samuel Basallo

The No. 2 prospect in the Orioles’ farm system and No. 12 overall in baseball, Samuel Basallo, has had some success in the minors. He is currently slashing .273/.338/.443 with 12 home runs in 300 at-bats in Double-A. Last year, Basallo hit to the tune of a .313 average with 20 home runs. This also came with 7 triples (yes, he is a catcher). Scouts rate his hitting ability, power, and arm at a 60/80. At age 19, he definitely has room to grow.

Skubal owns a 2.34 ERA with 146 K’s through 123 IP. His performance thus far has been nothing short of masterful. To get an idea of what trading for an ace looks like, let’s review a couple of trades.

First let’s look at the Gerritt Cole trade to Houston in 2018 that brought the Pittsburgh Pirates Joe Musgrove, Colin Moran, Michael Feliz, and Jason Martin. To start, there were four players being traded for one. But there is no right answer as to quantity over quality..