Marlins Trade Rumors: Houston not offering top prospect in J.T. Realmuto deal

Per sources, which include Craig Mish, the Houston Astros won’t be offering top prospect Kyle Tucker in a deal to obtain Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto.

And the plot thickens. The Miami Marlins are still listening to offers for catcher J.T. Realmuto. The Houston Astros, a team that has jumped back into the conversation for a potential trade, will not be sending over top prospect Kyle Tucker in a deal per multiple sources.

The Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and Atlanta Braves are believed to all be teams still interested in making a deal with Miami. It is not expected that a trade for Realmuto would happen before the end of the year, meaning the rumors will persist as the organization makes plans for Spring Training in February.

"“Early this offseason, the Astros were one of the more frequently mentioned teams in the mix for Realmuto,” writes Joe Frisaro. “They added veteran catcher Robinson Chirinos on Dec. 6, and in recent weeks, they had fallen off the Realmuto radar.”"

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If Tucker, who is a highly regarded outfielder in the Astros organization, is ranked as the No. prospect in the organization by MLB.com. The 22-year-old figures to be a cornerstone player, whether he is in Houston or Miami in the future.

"Based on his scouting report, “Tucker has an unconventional left-handed swing, but he makes it work with his bat speed and his uncanny hand-eye coordination. He recognizes pitches well and makes contact more easily than most players with his power potential.“He has a solid plan at the plate and traded some patience for pop last year, slugging .528 after recording a .408 mark in his first two seasons.”"

The Marlins have made moves to improve their outfield for the future including signing Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa, Jr. this offseason. The Mesas are considered two of the best international prospects at any position. The team also has Monte Harrison in the organization, who has shown marked improvement in the Arizona Fall League.

What makes a deal for Realmuto different than in other trade packages the Marlins have been involved in since Derek Jeter took over as CEO of the franchise is the desire to acquire Major League talent and prospects.

Miami does not have to make this trade. Their 27-year-old catcher is under contract for the next two seasons. He could still remain in a Marlins uniform this coming year.

The Marlins want to maximize what they can get for the first time All-Star’s services. That is why they have asked for more than his market value.

Teams with a strong minor league system have jumped into the mix, knowing they can replenish their prospects and come away with arguably the best catcher in baseball.