The Oakland Athletics made a big trade over the weekend, swapping 2016 first round MLB Draft pick A.J. Puk with 2019 first round pick JJ Bleday, from the Miami Marlins.
Puk pitched out of the A's bullpen last season, but was preparing to join the A's rotation this year. He will instead be joining the Marlins' bullpen.
With Bleday, age 25, the A's get younger, and add an outfielder with a high ceiling.
The Marlins made Bleday the no. 4 overall pick of 2019 MLB Draft, out of Vanderbilt University. Bleday was the Marlins' no. 2 prospect in their farm system in both 2020 and 2021, according to MLB Pipeline. He was MLB Pipeline's no. 20 prospect in all of baseball in 2021.
Bleday struggled in 2022, batting just .167 with a .277 On Base Percentage and .586 OPS, to go with five home runs and 16 RBI. With the Marlins, however, Bleday did not see regular playing time. Had he remained with the club in 2023, he likely would have split time with corner outfielders Bryan De La Cruz and Avisail Garcia, with Jazz Chisholm patrolling center field.
Now, the A's add a young player that was a very high prospect not that long ago. Bleday joins Cristian Pache, who was baseball's no. 12 prospect in 2021. The A's acquired Pache and catcher Shea Langeliers from the Atlanta Braves in a trade for first baseman Matt Olson last March. Langeliers was also a top-75 prospect in 2021.
The A's hope that all three can take steps forward with regular playing time at the Major League level in 2023. Pache slashed just .166/.218/.459 in 91 games last season. Langeliers slashed .218/.261/.691 in his first 40 career games in 2022.
The A's are expected to finish at the bottom of the American League West this season, but Bleday could be a bright spot for the club.
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