Miami Marlins Trade Rumors: Four Possible Destinations for Starlin Castro

Los Angeles Angels

The Situation

The Los Angeles Angels are set at shortstop with Andrelton Simmons. The 28-year-old is slashing .330/.399/.460 in 59 games. Currently on the 10-day disabled list, it doesn’t look like he’s going to miss significant time with a sprained right ankle.

Second base is another story entirely. The club is 38-32 as I write this, seven-and-a-half games out of first in the AL West, but right in the thick of the wildcard picture. 35-year-old Ian Kinsler has 56 games logged and Zack Cozart at age 32 has played in 58. Obviously, not all games were logged at second base.

Kinsler is patient at the plate, walking 21 times and striking out the same, with sporadic speed and power. He has nine home runs and seven stolen bases, and he’s still well above average defensively. Despite this, it’s apparent that he’s well into his inevitable age-driven decline. Kinsler is slashing .221/.289/.396. That’s 50 points lower than his career marks at every category.

Cozart is slashing .219/.296/.362, with five homers and 18 RBI. No stolen bases. Graded at well above average defensively at shortstop, he’s just about average at second.

The Solution

Castro would provide a significant upgrade to a possible contender. What could the Angels offer in return?

Six of the Angels top 12 prospects are pitchers, and five of them are right-handers. Jaime Barria has already had an impact at the major league level, with a 5-2 start to his career, a 2.61 ERA, and a 1.113 WHIP. What about the other four?

The Return

Chris Rodriguez

Chris Rodriguez has a 60 grade fastball, and three other pitches at 50 or higher. In fact, Rodriguez doesn’t have a grade below 50, which is considered above average. He’s 5-3 with a 5.40 ERA in low-level minor league ball, with 19 starts and 73 K’s in 68 1/3 innings. A Miami native, the 19-year-old 2016 fourth-round selection could be a good fit in the Marlins 2023 rotation.

Griffin Canning

Griffin Canning is a 22-year-old product of UCLA, and the Angels second round pick from last year. He’s started 12 times in his professional career, mostly with the double-A Mobile BayBears. His 0.975 career WHIP hints at upper level success, although his 1-0 record doesn’t speak very well to his stamina. Still, there’s time. Canning is unlikely to be included in any trade package, but we should hope the Miami Marlins at least ask.

Jesus Castillo

Jesus Castillo is a 22-year-old out of the Diamondbacks international complex in the Dominican Republic. He also spent a little time in the Cubs system before winding up with the Angels double-A club in Mobile this season. At all levels of play over seven minor league seasons, he’s 22-23 with a 3.86 ERA in 354 2/3 innings, and a 1.345 WHIP. The glaring statistic is his 2.70 K/BB rate, with only 110 free passes issued against 300 strikeouts.

Jose Soriano

Jose Soriano has an even better fastball than Rodriguez, grading out at 65. Only 19-years-old, his fastball sits at 93 and touches 97 on the gun. With a few more years, he will likely add speed as he fills out his 6’3″, 168 lb. frame. He’s 5-8 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.195 WHIP over his first three pro seasons, now in the single-A Midwest League.