The Philadelphia Phillies sent Joaquin Benoit to the cross-state Pittsburgh Pirates for High A relief pitcher Seth McGarry before the July 31st trade deadline.
McGarry, an eighth round pick in 2015, started all 12 games in his first stint in pro ball, but was moved to full time reliever before the 2016 season. Baseball Prospectus states he sits in the mid-90s and I have seen multiple outlets say he was clocked up to 97 MPH while at Florida Atlantic University.
He is off to a fantastic start this season, finishing 29 of his 31 games with 14 saves and an ERA of just 1.34. He is striking out nearly a batter an inning (38 in 40.1) and has a K/BB ratio of exactly two this season.
23 year old right handed relievers still in A ball are not highly regarded as prospects, but he has the numbers to suggest he could have a future as a middle relief man in the big leagues in the future.
Given the fact Benoit is on a one year deal with a roughly $3 million still due through the rest of the season, the trade is certainly a cash saving move by the Phillies, but getting a guy that can be a solid reliever in their system and potentially see some big league innings in the future is definitely a win-win.
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