Miami Marlins trade for former top prospect in deal with Minnesota

It seems that Miami Marlins depth moves are still a thing and the team does have some interesting prospects. Well, yet another depth move has taken place on Sunday. This trade saw The Fish send lefty relief pitcher Steven Okert to the Minnesota Twins for former top prospect Nick Gordon. How will this trade work for both teams?

The Miami Marlins landed more depth by trading Steven Okert for Nick Gordon.

Steven Okert was an expendable player on The Fish. The 32 year old pitched for the San Francisco Giants from 2016 to 2018. During that time, he produced a 4.28 ERA/4.07 FIP, with 8.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 70 games and 48.1 innings pitched. It was obviously a mostly unimpressive performance.

Okert moved on to the Miami Marlins from 2021 to 2023 but has been known for having injuries. He produced a 3.51 ERA/4.25 FIP, with 10.8 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 158 games and146.0 innings pitched. Once again, the advanced metrics were nothing special, outside of his strikeout rate. In 2023, he produced a 4.45 ERA/4.09 FIP, with 11.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9, in 64 games and 58.2 innings pitched.

Replacing Steven Okert on the roster, is Nick Gordon. Gordon was excellent in his 2021 debut, batting .240/.292/.355, with 4 home runs and 23 RBI, in 73 games and 200 AB. He followed that up with a worse, but still effective .272/.316/.427 batting line, with 9 home runs and 50 RBI in 136 games and 405 AB. He wasn't as good in 2023 however. This time he batted .176/.185/.319, with 2 home runs and 7 RBI, in 34 games and 91 AB.

Nick Gordon is going to be 28 years old this upcoming season. He will hit free agency after the 2027 season, having more control than Okert, who hits free agency after the 2026 season. Gordon can play in the OF, second base, third base and SS. He hasn't played much at SS, so it's unlikely that he'll be seen as a new starter. That said, he may get an opportunity to prove that he's more than just a depth bench player. I like this trade for the Miami Marlins.