Phillies Acquire CF Brandon Marsh from Angels for C Logan O'Hoppe

andyb 2022-08-02 19:59:37 UTC #21

6'4", 215, and can run a bit too. But yes the beard....

Austinfan 2022-08-02 20:00:18 UTC #22

O'Hoppe isn't exactly a sure thing at catcher either, he's hitting well, but not that well, given it's Reading.
There's some question whether his ceiling is a top backup or starter.
He's probably not as good defensively as Marchan.
And Stubbs and Sands are both ahead of him, and Perez behind him.

Marsh is a gamble, but with Rojas and Muzzioti two years away (if ever), one they probably felt they had to make.
Moniak still hasn't shown he can hit a breaking ball, Vierling that he can hit RH pitching, and Herrera is history.

If they can get Marsh back on track (up his BB rate, cut back on the Ks) they might have the leadoff hitter they're desperate to find.

BostonRoss 2022-08-02 20:01:12 UTC #23

I'd rather have the Angels' other centerfielder...

Philsmania 2022-08-02 20:02:22 UTC #24

Perusing Twitter and the MLBTR comment sections, Phillies and Angels fans appear to be equally unhappy with this trade with both sides claiming their team got fleeced.

bkox 2022-08-02 20:02:22 UTC #25

the one with the career threatening spine condition?

BostonRoss 2022-08-02 20:04:11 UTC #27

Yes please

zambonir 2022-08-02 20:04:24 UTC #28

Right or wrong, this has to be part of the Phillies thinking. They might have been able to get more for him in November but they wanted to move now, and think Marsh makes the team better both now and in the future (even though it's only by a little).

Squire 2022-08-02 20:07:00 UTC #30

I'm more OK with the O'Hoppe deal for Marsh than the Brown deal for Robertson. We are pretty loaded at catcher.

andyb 2022-08-02 20:09:16 UTC #31

Guessing Dombrowski wants the flexibility to deal Hoskins or Castellanos next year. Plus is not confident Rojas will ever hit enough. Marsh is all about taking a chance on a guy who could be a plus player for little money for a few years. He just is not a plus player now. They must really have wanted to move on from Odubel as well. He was probably not that happy in his reduced role.

allentown 2022-08-02 20:12:51 UTC #32

Well, yeah. But duh, those are his two big problems and the Angels haven't been able to fix them. Can we? He's going to need better than a .286 OBP to be a decent leadoff hitter. Yes, he's athletic. Beyond not hasn't shown much.

nycphils 2022-08-02 20:14:14 UTC #33

The progress that Bohm and Stott have been making in season give me at least hope that Kevin Long thinks he can unlock something with Marsh. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it either if DD wouldn’t consider moving JT in the offseason to allow one of Stubbs/Sands/O’Hoppe/Marchan to get the job. Certainly O’Hoppe doesn’t hit enough for DH.

andyb 2022-08-02 20:14:16 UTC #34

Probably could put Moniak in that sentence too.

Though after trading Marsh, Moniak for Syndegaard actually makes sense for both clubs.

xogfog 2022-08-02 20:17:12 UTC #35

Throw in Didi and pay half his salary.

Dirk41 2022-08-02 20:17:32 UTC #36

Kinda feels like the Ben Revere trade in "Look, a centerfielder!"

andyb 2022-08-02 20:19:23 UTC #37

Unfortunately Didi has negative value now. The Robertson trade might accelerate a Familia DFA at least.

Dirk41 2022-08-02 20:20:30 UTC #38

Is he that much better than Brett Phillips?

andyb 2022-08-02 20:24:58 UTC #39

Yes. 4 years younger and the Angels rushed him a bit. Plus the lost 2020 season means he basically lost 500 plate appearances in AA and AAA that might have helped with his K rate as a young major leaguer.

Marsh is a good bet to improve a lot. He just is not that great today. All we need him for is a platoon CF role so maybe that is OK for now (career 698 OPS vs RHP/538 vs LHP). The Robertson deal makes us better in 2022. Just not sure the Marsh deal does unless getting Odubel off the team was that important to them.

bkeich 2022-08-02 20:25:13 UTC #40

Duh, duh, duh, dumb.

Trading a blue chip prospect at the most important position for a guy who cannot hit. This is incredible.

Squire 2022-08-02 20:34:56 UTC #41

Brandon Marsh's minor league offensive numbers seem pretty similar to me to O'Hoppe's

Austinfan 2022-08-02 20:36:53 UTC #42

We don't know Marsh can't hit, he hit well enough in the minors to be a top prospect, and he's still only 24.
Andyb is right, Marsh lost a lot of minor league PAs, only about 1300 or so, that's over a full season (most prospects get about 2000 before they get promoted). He only got about 100 AAA ball PA before he was promoted.

And the Angels may be a dysfunctional organization.

Marsh has the tools to be a good hitter, he was in Fangraphs top 50 prospects going into the 2021 season.
In some ways he's a LH version of Bohm, line drive hitter, high exit velo, just has to make more consistent contact.