The Orioles swung a small trade with San Francisco yesterday, sending upper-minors veteran OF Mike Yastrzemski to the Giants in exchange for RHP Tyler Herb.
Baltimore parts with Yastrzemski—the grandson of the legendary Carl Yastrzemski—who they took in the 14th round from Vanderbilt University in 2013. He has played 520 games between Double-A and Triple-A since 2014, holding a .242/.331/.408 career slash line at the highest level of the minors. A non-roster invitee to Major League camp this spring, Yastrzemski struggled to a .167 average in 18 Grapefruit League at-bats. He was headed back to Triple-A anyway, and an already-deep outfield mix was made more crowded by the addition of Dwight Smith Jr. earlier this month. The Giants will acquire a classic Triple-A tweener, more of a Role 30 cup-of-coffee big leaguer than regular bench outfielder. Yastrzemski is a skilled defender in both corner spots and has a strong arm, and while he recorded some time in center last season, he’s a better fit for left or right field.
In Herb, Baltimore adds another depth piece to their upper-level pitching mix. A 29th round pick of the Mariners in 2014 from Coastal Carolina, Herb was traded to the Giants prior to the 2017 season. He reached Triple-A for the first time in his career last year, making 13 starts in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League and pitching to a 5.35 ERA. The fastball sits at a fringy 90-91 mph, touching a bit higher at best. Herb has a good feel to change looks at his heater, mixing four-seamers with a cutter variant for another wrinkle. His best pitch is a sharp slider that grades as an average pitch. He’ll mix a curve and change more often to lefties, keeping a deep arsenal of pitches around the plate with more control than in-zone command. Herb lacks a defining tool for a regular big league rotation role, but there’s a chance his pitchability could get him to Baltimore as a swingman or mopup type. San Francisco added him to their 40-Man Roster at the end of 2017, but he was outrighted after last season without ever making his Major League debut.
Like Yastrzemski, Herb grades closer to a Role 30 cup-of-coffee type than likely true big league piece. This trade could be nothing more than a swap meant to fill Triple-A rosters, as neither player required a 40-Man spot.
