A busy Monday night continues, with the Seattle Mariners trading former closer Brandon League to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for outfield prospect Leon Landry and pitcher Logan Bawcom.
The 29-year old (really, he's 29?!) League is a closer in title only, though he does have a fastball that averages 95 mph. His stats this year are disappointing, with a line drive rate of 26.6% and a career low 46.9% ground ball rate, along with just a 5.44 strikeout rate and a 3.83 walk rate. Yet, he's not allowing homers (just one in 44 2/3 innings). Imagine that.
But honestly, the Dodgers didn't give up much of anything for League. Neither Landry or Bawcom ranked in LA's top 30 prospects coming into the year, a major red flag in a farm system as ugly as the Dodgers'. The 22-year old Landry has a .917 OPS in the hitter-friendly California League, but has walked just 15 times in 376 plate appearence, and has only a 68% stolen base success rate (20/29). He clearly posseses good stuff, as his 15 triples attest to, but his OPS is unfairly skewed by the triples, showing more of a presence of speed than true power.
Bawcom is a reliever who's split the year between the California League and the Southern League. Between the two, the 23-year old has struck out 60 in 48 2/3 innings, walking 22 and only allowing one homer. He's struggled since the promotion, but could end up being a solid reliever for the Mariners somewhere down the line.
Photo courtesy of Daylife.com
