Danny Jansen to Boston is done, sources told ESPN. Full extent of the deal is unclear, but one player going to Toronto is infielder Cutter Coffey, a second-round pick in 2022 who has impressed in High-A this season.
Getting to know Cutter Coffey, a shortstop prospect the Blue Jays got in return for Danny Jansen
Photo credit: © MCKENZIE LANGE - The Greenville News/USA Today
Jul 27, 2024, 19:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 27, 2024, 18:58 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired an intriguing young prospect.
On Saturday, the Jays traded longest-serving Blue Jay, Danny Jansen, to their American League East rival, the Boston Red Sox. One prospect confirmed to be heading to the Jays is Cutter Coffey.
The 20-year-old was selected in the second-round of the 2022 draft by the Red Sox, and made his debut the same season with the Florida Complex League Red Sox. There, he slashed .125/.300/.156 with no home runs in 40 plate appearances for a 53 wRC+.
Still, he ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 19th-best prospect heading into the 2023 season. Starting the year in Single-A, Coffey slashed .226/.341/.348 with six home runs in 349 plate appearances, along with a 12.9 BB% and a 22.6 K%. His promotion to High-A didn’t go great though, as he slashed .136/.253/.167 with no homers in 79 plate appearances, with a 13.9 BB% and a 26.6 K%.
Coffey fell off top prospects lists after that, but he’s having a career-year in Single-A. This season, he’s slashing .238/.321/.463 with a career-best 14 home runs in 271 plate appearances. His 118 wRC+ is also a career-best.
Cutter Coffey solo shot. The 14th home run of the season for the Boston Red Sox prospect in High-A.
Unfortunately, Coffey didn’t rank in Baseball America’s top 30 mid-season update for the Red Sox, but he arguably should have. According to his MLB Pipeline bio from last season, Coffey has a ton of raw power for a middle infielder with solid speed, but his approach at the plate isn’t great, leading to a fringe hit tool. It’s also a long swing that can lead to a high K%, while also struggling with high heat.
The hit tool is a concern and he’ll likely never hit for a high average, but the raw power is significant, especially with the jump in home runs this season. He’ll stick in the middle of the infield with a strong arm and good field, but he’s still quite a few seasons away from being ready given that he’s only 20.
He’ll be an interesting prospect to monitor in the Blue Jays system over the next few seasons, especially if the hit tool can catch up to his power.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.
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