In case you missed it, the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees pulled off a big deal Tuesday night. The White Sox sent third baseman Todd Frazier and relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle to the Yankees in exchange for reliever Tyler Clippard and minor-league outfielders Blake Rutherford and Tito Polo as well as pitcher Ian Clarkin.
To get a better feel for what the trade means for both clubs, we asked Rotoworld prospect analyst Christopher Crawford for his opinion on the youngsters involved. You can follow Crawford on Twitter here.
How excited should White Sox fans be about Rutherford and Clarkin?
They should be very excited. Rutherford is one of the best outfield prospects in baseball. He has a chance to hit for average and power, and he's a solid defender who could handle the corner if he can't play center, which is probable.
Clarkin has had some significant injuries in his career, but when he's at his best he has a plus fastball and curve, and his change flashes above-average. He also will mix in a so-so slider, and he throws all four for strikes. He needs to show he can stay healthy, but if he can, he's a mid-rotation starter.
Is Polo anything more than a fun name?
Polo profiles best to me as a fourth outfielder. He's a very aggressive hitter who puts the ball in play, but he doesn't make a lot of hard contact, and he's not exactly patient at the plate. He's a solid defender who can also help with his wheels, but he's certainly nowhere near the level of the other prospects involved here.
Do the White Sox have the best farm system in baseball?
I think they do, now. They're probably going to "graduate" Moncada which will hurt a bit, but the amount of depth they have now after these two trades is impressive. What was once a bottom-third system at this point is now easily top five, and I think I'd argue they have the best group, with apologies to the Braves and Padres.
Where does the Yankees' farm system rank after this deal?
This is still a pretty good system. They have the best prospect -- even with the injury -- in Gleyber Torres, they have some quality pitching depth, and few teams have done better in the international market. It's no longer as deep as it was, obviously, but they've used that depth very well.
Do the Yankees have enough prospect currency to make another big trade?
I think so, but another massive move and the system drops substantially. There's still guys like Jorge Mateo, Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield and more that would draw a lot of interest. They'd be in the bottom-half of the league if they did make the move, but if they feel confident in their young IFA guys/believe this can help them win a championship, it wouldn't be crippling.
Again, you can follow Crawford on Twitter here.
