Angels Get: Ian Kinsler: 22 HR, .236/.313/.412, 14 SB, 90 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR
Tigers Get: Troy Montgomery: 8 HR, .271/.358/.413, 15 SB, 113 wRC+ at Class A, High Class A, and AA
Wilkel Hernandez: 4-1, 2.64 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 44/22 K/BB, 44.1 IP at AZL and Rookie
The suddenly-contending Angels addressed another glaring hole in their roster, adding Ian Kinsler to play second base. Kinsler is a veteran who is clearly on the down-slope of his career, but he's still a great player who can provide value to a contending team. Over 139 games for the Tigers this year, he slashed .236/.313/.412 with 22 home runs and 14 stolen bases, and had he hit one more home run in 2010, it would have been his twelfth straight season with double digit home runs and stolen bases. With Kinsler on board, the Angels can now turn to shoring up their pitching staff behind Shohei Ohtani and Garrett Richards (and in my opinion a consistent innings-eater like Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn, or C.C. Sabathia should do the trick if they choose the free agent route), and Kinsler will get to work hitting. He's under contract for $11 million for 2018 but will be a free agent after the season. He also provides value on defense, in fact enough to convert his 91 wRC+ to a season worth 2.4 fWAR. We can also expect his offensive numbers to get a bump from moving away from a pitcher-friendly park in Detroit. For his career, the former Missouri Tiger has 234 home runs, a .273/.342/.447 slash line, 225 stolen bases, and 46.4 fWAR over 1673 games.
The Tigers don't get any big names for Kinsler, but they are moving $11 million in salary and he is under contract for just one season. Troy Montgomery was drafted in the eighth round out of Ohio State in 2016, and a successful season saw the 23 year old outfielder reach AA in 2017. Starting off at Class A Burlington, he slashed .256/.418/.465 with a pair of home runs an a ridiculous 4/12 strikeout to walk ratio in 15 games, earning a quick promotion to High Class A Inland Empire. There, in the hitter-friendly California League, he slashed .282/.348/.443 with six home runs and nine stolen bases over 65 games, not excellent production by Cal League standards, but enough to earn a second promotion to AA Mobile. In 20 games to close out the season, he scuffled a bit, slashing .235/.350/.265 with a pair of doubles accounting for his only extra base hits, though he did steal four bases. He is a smart hitter who takes his walks, and he stands out on defense for his speed. He profiles well as a fourth outfielder, but if his power comes along, he could see some starts as a center fielder. Wilkel Hernandez is an 18 year old right handed pitcher out of Venezuela with success in a limited track record in the minors. After dominating the Dominican Summer League in five starts as a 17 year old in 2016, he moved up to the Arizona League in 2017 and put up a 2.61 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in eleven games (seven starts), striking out 42 and walking 20 in 41.1 innings. Moved up to Rookie level Orem for one relief appearance at the end of the season, he held Idaho Falls (Royals) to one run on two hits and two walks over three innings, striking out two. He's a project who is a long, long way away from the majors, but he turns just 19 in April and is loaded with a low 90's fastball from a projectable 6'3" frame. He may have to convert to relief if he can't refine his secondary pitches, but he's an exciting wild card of a prospect who could end up being very good.
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