MLB
Martin Maldonado Has Been Traded to the Houston Astros
It has been reported today that Martin Maldonado has been traded to the Houston Astros for prospect Patrick Sandoval. Catcher is a position of need for the Astros because starter Brian McCann is 34. Maldonado will fit in very nicely in the Astro team.
Defense
While Maldonado isn’t great with the bat, as he is batting .223, in my opinion, he is a top 5 catcher defensively. I am a catcher in Babe Ruth baseball, so I can say this guy is great defensively. He has a CANNON for an arm, doesn’t let any wild pitches get by him, and frames pitches better than anyone that I’ve ever seen! This guy is a valuable asset to have behind the plate, despite the hitting numbers that can be fixed.
The Astros With Martin
A lot of teams blow by the catcher as an essential position. But if you ask me, the catcher is one of the most critical defensive positions. In the 2016 playoffs, Wilson Contreras was vital. He was making plays, and he was throwing out runners all over the place. Martin Maldonado has all of those keys to make a difference behind the plate. If I were a base stealer, I would be sure you get a good jump if you are running on this guy. The Astros will be better in the playoffs with Martin. With a lot of teams trying to be aggressive in October, Martin could help them out.
Patrick Sandoval
The Angels got left-handed pitching prospect, Patrick Sandoval. I did some research on this guy, and he seems legit. In 19 games for the Quad Cities River Bandits, he is 9-1 with a 2.56 ERA. I expect Sandoval to either come to the majors as a September call-up or at the start of next year. The 21-year-old lefty seems to have a bright future in the MLB.
All in all, I think this was an even trade for both sides.
