The Phillies made three trades before the trade deadline this week and stocked the farm with some young talent. They got power right-hander Nick Pivetta for Jonathan Papelbon. They got top prospects Jake Thompson, Nick Williams and Jorge Alfaro for Cole Hamels. Then, right before the deadline, they dealt Ben Revere for minor league relievers Alberto Tirado and Jimmy Cordero.
Alberto Tirado, 20, is currently ranked as the Phillies 15th prospect after the trade. He was ranked as the Jays ninth best prospect. His first professional season was in 2012, when he spent time between the Gulf Coast League and the Appalachian League, posting a 2.62 ERA in 14 starts. He spent all of 2013 with the Bluefield Bluejays, in the rookie league, appearing in 12 games, eight of which that were starts. He sported a 1.68 ERA in 48 1/3 innings before starting the 2014 season in Short season Class 'A' ball as a reliever for the Vancouver Canadians. In 35 2/3 innings out of the pen, he posted a 3.53 ERA before being moved to full season Class 'A' ball. In 13 games at that level, Tirado went 1-2 with a 6.30 ERA. This season, the Jays started him in Advanced 'A' ball with the Dunedin Blue Jays. In 61 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, he has a 4-3 record to go along with a solid 3.23 ERA, 9.0K/9 and 0.6HR/9. Control is something he needs to work on to move up in the Phillies system, but at the age of 20, he still has time to refine his game. Here is MLB.com's scouting report on the right-hander:
Tirado's powerful right arm has enticed scouts since his amateur days in the Dominican Republic. But he has struggled to harness his stuff and will have to sort out his control issues as he advances in the Minor Leagues. He was making some strides in the Florida State League when he was one of two arms sent to the Phillies in the Ben Revere trade.
Tirado throws his fastball in the low to mid 90s and is capable of touching 98 mph. His slider and changeup both show promise, though both pitches remain inconsistent.
Tirado never has thrown many strikes as a professional. His wildness and smaller frame may make him better suited to be a reliever in the long run, and Toronto moved him to that role in high Class A in 2015. [Phillies.com]
The second arm the Phillies got for Revere is right-hander Jimmy Cordero. Though the 23-year-old wasn't ranked in the Jays top 30 prospects, he is a flamethrower who's fastball has been registered in the triple digits more than once. Like Tirado, Cordero needs to work a bit on his control, striking out 46 this season and walking 20. He's spent time between Advanced 'A' and Double-A this season, posting a combined 2.70 ERA in 50 innings. Over his last 14 2/3 innings, spanning 10 games, Cordero has allowed just two earned runs, striking out 10 and walking six.
While Tirado has not yet been assigned a team, he will likely join the Threshers in Clearwater. Meanwhile, Cordero will join fellow newly-acquired prospects Nick Williams and Jake Thompson in Double-A Reading. Though the Phillies have acquired 11 pitching prospects in their trades involving Rollins, Byrd, Papelbon, Hamels and Revere, they have some extensive depth in the system now. Did they do themselves a disservice by not adding minor league bats? That remains to be seen. With Aaron Altherr, J.P. Crawford, Roman Quinn, Carlos Tocci and others developing quickly, the Phils may be able to fill their future lineup with guys they drafted.
