Miami Marlins: Grading the Jesus Luzardo trade to the Philadelphia Phillies

The Miami Marlins' biggest offseason storyline has officially drawn to a close. Lefty pitcher Jesus Luzardo and minor league catcher Paul McIntosh have officially been traded to the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for two prospects: shortstop Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd.

The saga, which began with a rumored deal with the Chicago Cubs that never materialized, has now been resolved.

How did the Miami Marlins fair in their latest, prospect-centered, trade?

Miami's latest trade has drawn the ire of many Marlins' fans. In an overly inflated pitching market, many hoped that the club would receive more for their 27-year-old sudo-ace. The young lefty, who is not slated for free agency until 2027, is also on a team-friendly contract.

The Headliner

Making sense of this deal must start with an evaluation of Caba, the centerpiece of the trade. MLB.com's #81 ranked prospect has a defensive-first profile and excellent contact skills. This combination creates a unique outlook that is difficult to compare to more traditional shortstops.

Caba's glove is stellar! Some have compared his defense to New York Mets' superstar Fransisco Lindor's, with this ceiling being Gold Glove-caliber. Everything from his speed to his footwork, to his instincts, to his exceptional hand/eye coordination shows his potential as a defensive anchor.

His bat-to-ball abilities are also noteworthy. His metrics as a professional show upside as a contact hitter that is comparable to stars like Luis Arraez, Yanier Diaz, or Jose Altuve. If he can continue to develop at a reasonable pace, Caba profiles as an Andrelton Simmons-type player who would be a starter for the next decade.

Unfortunately, there is a clear weakness in Caba's profile that has been the sticking point in many fan's perception of the deal: his sub-par power. His 40 grade (on a scale of up to 80) power will hold him back from being a true superstar shortstop.

The 19-year-old hit just two home runs across 401 professional at-bats since 2023. While the aforementioned Lindor developed his power stroke after receiving similar labels early in his career, it would be a massive leap to count on consistent strength from Caba's bat.

A better comparison would likely be to former Miami star Luis Arraez. While Caba may match Arraez's other-worldly batting average numbers, he is a real threat to consistently hit above .300. This, combined with his Gold Glove upside and his 60-grade speed make him a far more interesting prospect.

Arraez has struggled to latch on to a franchise due to his one-dimensional profile. Caba's speed and glove work bring enough to the table to set him apart from these issues.

The Secondary Piece

Boyd is also an intriguing supplementary piece. The 12th-ranked prospect in Philly's system, the young outfielder. While he also lacks power upside, the 21-year-old has exceptional speed. He profiles as a quality defensive centerfielder (another position of need for Miami) and a good baserunner.

The Trade Grade

This deal checks off several important criteria. Caba is an established top-100 prospect (something that Miami failed to receive when trading Jazz Chisholm or any of their other veterans). He fills a positional need. He comes with a high-upside player who also fills a roster need. And, as the current 3rd ranked prospect for Miami, added needed quality to the Marlins' farm system.

In a perfect world, a deal for Chicago's Owen Caissie would have been ideal. However, the Fish capitalized on their oft-injured pitcher after a poor, 5 ERA season.

Marlins Trade grade: A-