Dodgers-Reds trade: MLB prospect expert weighs in on Jeter Downs, Josiah Gray

Earlier Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds agreed to a blockbuster trade that saw Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, Matt Kemp, and Homer Bailey swap sides. Cash and prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs also changed hands, making this a whopper of a deal.

To make sense of it, we asked prospect expert Christopher Crawford of Rotoworld for his thoughts on the trade and the youngsters involved. You can follow Crawford on Twitter here.

Do you think the Dodgers received enough in return?

I’m torn here. On the surface, I think this is a bit light for players of Puig and Wood’s talent, even if they are free agents at the end of the 2019 season. I certainly don’t think this is a rip-off, especially considering the financial implications here, but I would imagine that if the Reds do deal Puig and/or Wood at the deadline if they’re not in contention, they’ll get at least one prospect better than what they gave up.

What is the book on Josiah Gray?

Gray is a second-round pick that came out of Le Moyne College, a Division II school, and really impressed scouts in his first professional season. His fastball has been clocked up to 97 mph in short stints, but it sits mostly 92-95 as a starter with good life. His slider flashes plus — but is mostly in that above-average range — and he shows the makings of a good change. The command is behind the control, but he should throw enough strikes to be a backend starter. He could be a high-leverage reliever if the Dodgers choose that route, but they should give him a chance to start.

What about Jeter Downs?

Downs is the best prospect in the deal, in my book. He was the 32nd pick in the draft, and he performed admirably in his first full season. The hit tool projects in the above-average range, and he’s also a speedy runner who has good instincts on the base path. He’s a quality defender up the middle, although some think he might move to shortstop as he gets bigger. I’d leave him at shortstop — with the way teams shift now he can certainly stick there as long as something unforeseen doesn’t happen — but the bat would play at second base, too. He’s a very nice prospect.

Where do the two rank within the Dodgers system?

I would say that Downs belongs in the back-half of the top 10, somewhere in the 7-10 range. Gray would be in the top 15 for me, again, in the back-half.

Do the Reds have enough parts to make another big deal?

Without question. The depth took a bit of a hit today, but there are three legitimate top 25 prospects here in Nick Senzel, Taylor Trammell and Hunter Greene that could headline a deal for almost anyone. If Cincinnati is serious about going for a playoff run, they can definitely make another marquee move. 

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