Mets to Acquire Ryan Helsley from Cardinals: What to Make of Trade

Additionally, Helsley will mix in a curveball as a change-of-pace pitch.

What does that arsenal equal? High chase rates (34.3%), high whiff rates (30.8%), and the ability to limit well-hit contact, simply because hitters can’t square him up.

Helsley is a free agent after this season.

The Cardinals’ Return

• INF Jesus Baez (.242/.332/.390, 10 HR and 21 XBH over 75 GP (A and A+)
• SP Nate Dohm (2.87 ERA, 77 K over 62.2 IP (A and A+))
• RP Frank Elissalt (3.04 ERA, 65 over 56.1 IP (A and A+))

The big piece going back to St. Louis is infielder Jesus Baez, a 20-year-old who signed for $275,000 out of the Dominican Republic years earlier. Since then, he developed into one of the Mets’ best infield prospects.

Across 64 games in St. Lucie last season, Baez hit 10 home runs and 25 extra-base hits. He maintained steady production in High-A ball this year, as he smacked 10 home runs and 21 extra-base hits before the trade.

There’s a lot to like with his approach, as the 20-year-old boasts a compact swing with not too much length.

Baez, though, did expand the zone often in Low-A a year ago. He hacked at pitches out of the zone at a rate of 31.9% last season.

Nate Dohm was a third-round pick last July by the Mets. Dohm, coming out of Mississippi State, posted strong numbers between both St. Lucie and Brooklyn, working primarily as a starter.

Dohm’s been primarily a two-pitch guy, while sprinkling in a sinker, changeup, and curveball. The right-hander showcased a good mid-80s slider with depth in Brooklyn and St. Lucie, along with a fastball with carry that sat in the mid-90s and was run up to 97 MPH.

The last piece in this deal was Frank Elissalt, a 23-year-old drafted in the 19th round last July. Elissalt had success in Low-A this season. He’ll work with a lot of pitches, including a mid-to-upper-90s two-seamer, four-seamer, cutter, slider, and curveball.

Analysis

The arms race continues in the NL East. Barely after the news broke that Jhoan Duran was headed to Philadelphia, the Mets picked up their own flamethrower in Helsley to pair with Edwin Diaz and what’s become a very strong bullpen.

Now, the Mets can throw two All-Star closers at teams, along with several hard-throwers in Gregory Soto, Ryne Stanek, and Reed Garrett. Add in crafty arms Brooks Raley and Tyler Rogers, the latter of whom was also acquired on July 30, and the Mets can change looks on a dime.

St. Louis, meanwhile, didn’t get a player above High-A but nonetheless received two prospects with high upside in Baez & Dohm.

Dohm showed the stuff to be a middle to back-end rotation piece, while Baez hit for good pop as a 20-year-old in High-A. And, Baez has everyday starter potential.

It’s not a bad return for a reliever on an expiring deal.