Marlins complete Ozuna trade to Cardinals for 4 prospects
The latest chapter of the Miami Marlins' offseason teardown became official Thursday with the announcement that All-Star outfielder Marcell Ozuna has been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for a package of four prospects, headlined by right-hander Sandy Alcantara and outfielder Magneuris Sierra.
Right-hander Zac Gallen and left-hander Daniel Castano are also headed to Miami as part of the return.
The trade completes a busy day for St. Louis, which cleared an outfield spot for Ozuna earlier Thursday by sending Stephen Piscotty to Oakland for a pair of infield prospects.
Ozuna, who has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining before free agency, immediately gives the Cardinals a powerful middle-order bat who will also bring Gold Glove-winning defense to the outfield. The 27-year-old just completed a career-best season for the Marlins, hitting .312/.376/.548 (145 OPS+) with 37 homers, 30 doubles, and 124 RBIs, while also earning his second All-Star berth and winning his first career Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.
St. Louis may not be done yet, either. The team's been connected to a multitude of other potential trades and is said to be pushing the Toronto Blue Jays about former AL MVP Josh Donaldson.
The highlight of the Marlins' return is likely Alcantara, whom MLB Pipeline ranked as the Cardinals' No. 9 prospect. The 22-year-old spent last season at Double-A Springfield, where he put up a 4.31 ERA and 1.428 WHIP while striking out 106 in 125 1/3 innings; he then made his big-league debut in September and posted a 4.32 ERA in eight relief appearances for the Cardinals.
Sierra, previously ranked as the Cardinals' No. 6 prospect, managed to jump from the Florida State League to the majors last season, and hit .317/.359/.317 with five RBIs in 64 big-league plate appearances. The 21-year-old also spent time in Double-A, and slashed .270/.318/.363 with 20 stolen bases and 21 doubles across the two minor-league levels in 2017.
Gallen, 22, was St. Louis' third-round pick out of North Carolina in 2016. He began his 2017 season in High-A and jumped three levels before the year was done, finishing his year in Triple-A Memphis. All told, he recorded a 2.93 ERA while striking out 121 and walking only 35 in 26 starts across the three levels.
Castano was also selected by St. Louis in the 2016 draft, but has not pitched above the Short-Season A level. In 14 starts at Class-A State College in the New York-Penn League, the 23-year-old Baylor product went 9-3 with a 2.57 ERA, 1.099 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts to 13 walks.