Latest Reds injury proves why trading prospects (for Luis Castillo) is always worth it
The Mariners got a stellar pitching ace out of the deal but Cincinnati’s end of the bargain hasn’t been quite as rewarding from the Luis Castillo trade
In July of 2022, the Mariners made a big splash before the trade deadline by acquiring Luis Castillo in exchange for a handful of prospects from the Reds. Over the 262 ⅓ innings he’s pitched for Seattle thus far, he’s posted a 3.29 ERA with 296 strikeouts and even placed fifth in AL Cy Young voting in 2023. He signed a five-year, $108 million extension in September of 2022 and will be around for quite a while. On the other side of the deal, Cincinnati received four prospects: Andrew Moore, Levi Stoudt, Noelvi Marte, and Edwin Arroyo. How have they fared thus far?
Andrew Moore pitched to a 4.34 ERA over a total of 18 ⅔ innings in 2023, splitting time between rookie ball and High A. He’s only 23 years old but he’s definitely got a bit to go before making his call-up.
The injury to Michael Arroyo proves why trading prospects for a proven commodity is a risky move… for the team receiving the prospects
Levi Stoudt actually made his major league debut last year but it didn’t go very well, posting a 9.58 ERA over 10 ⅓ innings. The majority of his year was spent in Triple-A but with a 6.23 ERA over 19 starts and 82 ⅓ total innings, he probably didn’t pan out the way that Cincinnati would have hoped, which is why they designated him for assignment and allowed him to be picked up by Seattle.
After 123 plate appearances in the majors, Noelvi Marte hit for a .822 OPS and 120 OPS+ and looked fully deserving of the top spot in the Reds’ farm system. Unfortunately, he tested positive for a banned substance in March 2024 and received an 80-game suspension.
