Starling Marte is now with the Arizona Diamondbacks following the revelation from both clubs at the start of the week. In sending the eight-year veteran to his new team, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be getting two prospects who are both 19-year-olds.
Brennan Malone and Liover Peguero will now be under the Pirates. The right-hander Malone is seen to soon climb his way up to the 2020 prospect list on account of projections he'll soon develop a potent arsenal to make a serious impact on four pitches.
Peguero is described as a shortstop and according to CBS Sports: "He has a quick bat, good contact skills, power potential, and plus speed on the bases with a good chance of sticking at short long-term."
Now on the chief component of the trade deal, what the D-backs acquired in Marte is largely a seasoned talent on the field that saw the 31-year-old averaging 17 home runs in the last three seasons with 26 stolen bases. During the same stretch, Marte's hitting was at .284/.334/.458 (111 OPS+).
Also, Marte was a recipient of two Gold Glove honors, which he achieved while playing on the left field. It should be noted that in the past two seasons, Marte shifted to the center field that essentially defied the expert's view, he is most effective playing on the left.
It seemed clear that Arizona was drawn on Marte's reputation as a solid defender and a right-handed bat, which according to Bleacher Report were the same qualities that prodded interest from the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres.
Since his debut in 2012, Marte evolved into a key foundation of the Pirates gameplay, and that role he will continue to play with Arizona.
It's not hard to see though that Marte's appeal is the affordability factor, which should explain the months of trade rumors attached to his name and the teams that supposedly were working to trade for his talent and skill.
Considering his caliber, CBS said the D-backs grabbed a bargain in Marte, who the club only need to pay $24 million in the next two years. And in the event of a buyout, Arizona's cash setback will only amount to $1 million.
The D-backs are now projected to pick up 87.8 wins with Marte on board, and per the same report, the team's chances of making the postseason cut has improved to 57.9 percent, coming from 46.3 percent when Marte was still with Pittsburgh.
Specifically, Marte is thought to bring with him ball experience beyond the regular games plus power and speed. As the Pirates have the talents to compete well in the National League West, Marte's arrival could further boost the playoff aspirations of the team.
