Twins Trade Ryne Harper to Nationals for minor league pitcher

[Dman]

I have to say it is interesting to me how this board felt about Harper and that the team that won the World Series last year was the high bidder to add his services to their team, lol.  For not belonging in a pen with World series aspirations the Nats seem to think otherwise. 

 

Not that a 9th round pick is a high price to pay but still interesting how different perceptions can be about players and how they can help a team.

[nicksaviking]

Small sample size clearly, but looks like going from a starter in college, immediately to a reliever in pro ball seemed to suit him just fine. After starting all spring in the NCAA and then shifting immediately to the pen, I'll bet there's more velocity to unlock in that 94 MPH FB noted in his draft bio.

 

The Twins pen isn't going to blow the league away with big names, but it's encouraging when your last BP arm on the 40-man is someone the World Champs are interested in trading for.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I have to say it is interesting to me how this board felt about Harper and that the team that won the World Series last year was the high bidder to add his services to their team, lol.  For not belonging in a pen with World series aspirations the Nats seem to think otherwise. 

Of course, they won the World Series with a pretty awful pen, overall.

 

(Looking at relievers the Twins added after winning the 1987 World Series... Jim Winn? Insert a Jim Winn joke here!)

[gunnarthor]

It's a nice trade since we had to move Harper. 

[cmoss84]

 

Summary from Jim Callis at the time of the draft last year.

 

Callis: “Hunter McMahon is a red-shirt sophomore, 6’3’’, 185, former Tommy John guy, has had Tommy John in his past, but it’s a good arm action, he’s up to 94, sinking and boring action on the fastball, he’s got good life on the changeup too, and a curveball in the upper 70s with some nice break on it as well, so he’s kind of interesting."

So...Kohl Stewart?

 

Hey-good trade. I like (free) lottery tickets!

[howieramone2]

Actually on the Draft Wednesday chat, Callis predicted Stewart would make it to The Show in 2015. Believe it or not, we were not the only ones who missed on him.

[mikelink45]

Let's not forget what a good story Harper was last year.  0.6 WAR for a reliever who is not a closer or major part of the BP is not bad.  He was 4 - 2 with a 3.81 ERA last year and pitched in 61 games. He struck out 50 in 54 Innings with a whip of 1.178.  If he duplicates that Washington will be happy.  Relievers WAR last year 

Rogers 2.5

May 1.3

Duffey 1

Littell 0.9

Smeltzer 0.7 

Harper 0.6  - same as Dobnak who started

 

Glad we are moving on with better pitchers, but is Wisler better?  Good luck to him and lets hope the young pitcher we received can really blossom into a MLB arm.

[prouster]

The stat line is intriguing. Thanks to everyone who posted scouting reports! Seems like there is some interesting upside here.

[twins_89]

If Harper makes the major league roster I'm expecting him to look pretty good for a while (since the National league batters haven't seen him much). I also expect Harper's effectiveness to tail off again as the season progresses and guys figure out his unusual pitch combination.

[wabene]

https://redravenathletics.com/sports/bsb/2017-18/bios/mcmahon_hunter_c1pu?view=career&pos=p

 

At community college 2017-18, he put up a 6.63 ERA in 7 starts plus 3 relief appearances.

 

I didn't locate any stats from his years at Staley High School in KC, nor any indication at all of where he played Little League.

I'm hearing rumors he was a breach birth.

[Thrylos]

Pretty sure that they will try to see if he can start again.  Has been mostly a starter.  3 seasons away from TJ, will be interesting to see what happens.   Also played shortstop in High School so he is not a bad athlete.

 

Got to like that they got him for Harper.

[bird]

Towards the end of FG's ZIPs projections, they mentioned Harper among a handful of pitchers who might possibly help the team in 2020. From that, I concluded that maybe we were being a tad unkind towards Harper and that his value might be higher than we think. But I think an "interesting" 9th rounder for a guy we DFA'd is a really good result, something I'm happy to see from this FO after years of frustration with the old FO letting the fringe guys go for nothing over and over.

 

Who knows, but my guess is that this guy's upside is Sean Poppen and his downside is Tyler Beardsley, who quickly enough changed professions.

[Darius]

Really smart deal.

[Shane Wahl]

Give him a full year starting in A, and look to 2021 for him to maybe move from A+ to AA. 2023 would be potential ETA.

[diehardtwinsfan]

yeah, no real downside to this. Harper was gone anyone... There's a decent ceiling here for a guy who will probably never make it... good lotto ticket. 

[old nurse]

 

Jacob deGrom was a 9th-rounder, a decade ago. Just sayin'.

As was Whit Merrifield  and Taylor Morton

[old nurse]

 

Towards the end of FG's ZIPs projections, they mentioned Harper among a handful of pitchers who might possibly help the team in 2020. From that, I concluded that maybe we were being a tad unkind towards Harper and that his value might be higher than we think. But I think an "interesting" 9th rounder for a guy we DFA'd is a really good result, something I'm happy to see from this FO after years of frustration with the old FO letting the fringe guys go for nothing over and over.

 

Who knows, but my guess is that this guy's upside is Sean Poppen and his downside is Tyler Beardsley, who quickly enough changed professions.

A hope is better than nothing. On the other hand Harper might be a lot better player than the fringe player the Twins used to release. I really don't remember a older fringe playerthat was released that amounted to much. Some younger players like Hendriks and Santana

[dex8425]

 

As was Whit Merrifield  and Taylor Morton

And Mitch Garver

[bird]

 

A hope is better than nothing. On the other hand Harper might be a lot better player than the fringe player the Twins used to release. I really don't remember a older fringe playerthat was released that amounted to much. Some younger players like Hendriks and Santana

 

True, and yet people might be shocked to learn that 36 former Twins pitchers made at least one appearance on the mound in the majors for another team in 2019. Most of these guys (not all) were pushed aside because we had better options here, and most of the pitchers we let go performed at below replacement levels for their new club. I mean, Oliver Drake stands out in this group.

 

I just want this FO to do a better job than the last of squeezing something out of the tube more often. The old regime let Swarzak walk in FA, got nothing for Neshek and Rosario, etc. The new guys have screwed up too (Nick Anderson), but at least they're occasionally getting a long shot prospect (Harper) or a hundred dollar bill (Magill) more often than before.

 

 

[old nurse]

 

And Mitch Garver

Kyle Knutson that year

[old nurse]

 

True, and yet people might be shocked to learn that 36 former Twins pitchers made at least one appearance on the mound in the majors for another team in 2019. Most of these guys (not all) were pushed aside because we had better options here, and most of the pitchers we let go performed at below replacement levels for their new club. I mean, Oliver Drake stands out in this group.

 

I just want this FO to do a better job than the last of squeezing something out of the tube more often. The old regime let Swarzak walk in FA, got nothing for Neshek and Rosario, etc. The new guys have screwed up too (Nick Anderson), but at least they're occasionally getting a long shot prospect (Harper) or a hundred dollar bill (Magill) more often than before.

Neshak was out of options and not pitching well. It took a few years for him to be good post op.

Randy Rosario? The Cubs sisn't get anything for him, either..

Oliver Drake. If that is the best veteran the Twins released, they are not doing poorly.

I did not understand the Nick Anderson trade . Hopefully for him he doesn't do as Dereck Rodriguez did

[MN_ExPat]

 

Actually on the Draft Wednesday chat, Callis predicted Stewart would make it to The Show in 2015. Believe it or not, we were not the only ones who missed on him.

Ahhh... but Stewart did make it to The Show.

 

And Grizzly Adams did have a beard

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I did not understand the Nick Anderson trade . Hopefully for him he doesn't do as Dereck Rodriguez did

Anderson is already ahead of Dereck Rodriguez, in that the Marlins already flipped him for a better trade return and Anderson already contributed to a pennant race and postseason.

 

Rodriguez had a nice run for the Giants in 2018 but ultimately didn't make much difference or generate much value in doing so.

[Doctor Gast]

We let Stephen Gonsalves go for nothing, too. Hopefully things are looking up