Miami Marlins: Grading the AJ Puk for Deyvison De Los Santos Deadline Deal

The Miami Marlins' most surprising deadline deal sent lefty reliever AJ Puk to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The deal made sense for both parties. Arizona needed help in their struggling bullpen as they seek an NL Wild Card berth this season. And the 29 year old Puk did not fit in Miami's rebuild timeline.

The Headline Prospect

What is most surprising about the deal is the return that Peter Bendix and company were able to secure. The headliner, corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos, currently leads the minor leagues with an impressive 31 homers.

De Los Santos' power metrics are impressive at every turn. His exit velocities rank in the 90th percentile among his peers, and his max exit velocity is a blistering 116mph. This indicates that there are no smoke and mirrors to the sluggers power production. He consistency hits the ball extraordinarily hard.

Some have compared De Los Santos' profile to former All-Star Paul DeJong, while others have noted that his batting numbers are similar to former superstar Dan Uggla. Personally, something between New York's Pete Alonso and Arizona's Christian Walker feels like an accurate player comparison. But regardless, DLS represents a major point of excitement for the rebuilding Fish.

How many Miami fans have started following the young crop of future Marlins on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp? While fellow newcomers Connor Norby, Agustin Ramirez, and Adam Mazur move the needle, one could argue that De Los Santos' raw power brings the most excitement. His nightly potential to smash a ball over the home run wall has made the Jumbo Shrimp, and soon the Miami Marlins, must-watch.

The Sweetner

Former infielder turned centerfielder Andrew Pintar also joined Miami in the Puk trade. The 23-year-old has an intriguing well-rounded skillset. Unlike DLS, his power has a clear cap. If he continues to develop, he could be a double-digit home run hitter in the majors. Though it would be surprising if he regularly hit more than 12-15 homers in a season.

What Pintar lacks in raw power, he makes up for with plus speed. He already has 21 steals in 2024 and could be a threat for 20 steals in the majors as well.

Pintar still has room to improve as a batter. He also needs to refine his defensive skills in his new centerfield position. However, there is a window for the former Diamondback to carve out a role with the rebuilding Marlins.

The Trade Grade

A deal for De Los Santos alone would have been a worthy return for Puk's services. The fact that Miami was also able to negotiate a sweetener like Pintar is a cherry on top of an excellent trade deadline deal.

Marlins Trade Grade: A+