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Stockpiling Reds land four top prospects in Neagle trade
BOSTON (Ticker) -- Eight games behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central Division, the Cincinnati Reds may have abandoned the chase today. But they bolstered a weak farm system by trading lefthander Denny Neagle to the New York Yankees. The Reds acquired third baseman Drew Henson, outfielder Jackson Melian, lefthander Ed Yarnall and righthander Brian Reith from the Yankees for Neagle and minor league outfielder Mike Frank. After failing to sign Neagle to a long-term contract, Cincinnati decided it did not want to risk losing him at season's end with nothing in return. "Neagle wanted to become a free agent because he had never been there before," said Reds general manager Jim Bowden." With that in mind, Bowden looked to the future. "We want to stockpile as many young players as we can, so that by the time the new stadium is ready, we have the team ready to put out on the field," he said. "It's tough to make a trade, especially when you trade a No. 1 starter. I know that this deal is going to be unpopular, as it was for the White Sox a few years ago, but this is what you have to do to win -- stockpile young talent and trust the scouting department." The deal enabled the Reds to plug vital holes in what is regarded as a fairly thin minor league talent pool. The acquisition of Henson and Melian provides them with two of the most highly regarded players in Double-A. Yarnall has middle-of-the-rotation ability, while Reith has put up nice numbers at every level he has pitched. Henson, 20, was hitting .288 with seven home runs and 39 RBI in 63 games this year, mostly for Double-A Norwich. The University of Michigan quarterback did not make his season debut until May 3 because of academic commitments. A native of Brighton, Michigan, he showed a power bat and superb hitting skills in advanced Class-A last season, batting .280 with 13 homers in 69 games in spacious Florida State League ballparks. Henson signed for $2 million, a record for a third-round pick, after setting national high school records with 70 homers, including 10 grand slams, 290 RBI and 259 runs. Bowden recognizes the righthanded hitter has all the tools to become a major league star, if he decides to concentrate full-time on baseball. "He is the wild card in the deal, said Bowden. "It's a high-risk, high-reward deal in baseball terms. If this guy concentrates on baseball full-time, he could be another Mike Schmidt-type third baseman. Of course, he could be another Troy Aikman-type quarterback, too. He could turn out to be the best player in the deal and the reason why this could be a great trade for the Reds." Melian is a five-tool player who was hitting .245 with seven homers and 35 RBI in 80 games for Norwich. Named after Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson, Melian has put up only modest numbers in his first four years of pro ball. However, he is only 20 years old and blessed with a wealth of talent. Melian was forced to deal with adversity in 1998 as an automobile accident took the lives of his parents, who were driving just ahead of the team bus. Signed by the Yankees in July 1996, the 6-2, 190-pounder spent the 1999 campaign in the Class-A Florida State League, where he finished with a .283 average, six homers and 61 RBI in 128 games. Despite the low homer total, he showed signs of power and speed with 13 triples, good for second in the league. With great range and a powerful throwing arm, Melian is considered an above-average defender, although he committed 10 errors in center field last season and has nine already this year while playing mostly left field. Brian Reith, New York's sixth-round pick in the 1996 draft, is having his best pro season while pitching for Class-A Tampa. The 21-year-old Fort Wayne, Indiana native is 9-4 with a 2.18 ERA, fourth-best in the league. He posseses an average fastball, outstanding changeup and a heavy sinker. The 6-5, 190-pounder also spent last season with Tampa, going 9-9 with a 4.70 ERA. Yarnall is the only one of the newest Reds with major league experience. At just 24, he moves on to his fourth organization in three years. Selected by the New York Mets in the third round of the 1996 draft, Yarnall was sent to the Florida Marlins in 1998 in the Mike Piazza deal in 1998 before moving on to the Yankees last season in the Mike Lowell trade. The 6-3, 234-pound southpaw began this year at Triple-A Columbus and twice was summoned to the big leagues, where he had a rough time in two outings. Said Bowden of the former LSU star, "He won 13 games and 14 games the last couple of years. He's had some injuries and has not had much success in a limited opportunity at the big league level. We feel that he can contribute to our pitching staff." While parting with four prospects, the Yankees got Mike Frank, a 1997 seventh-round pick who made it to the majors faster than any player in Reds' history. He was hitting .273 this season with six homers and 33 RBI while playing mostly with Triple-A Louisville. In 28 games with the big club in 1998, Frank batted .225 with seven RBI. The 6-2, 195-pound Californian spent the entire 1999 season at Triple-A, where he hit .296 with nine homers and 62 RBI. Frank is a pure hitter with a smooth, line-drive swing and decent power. He can play all three outfield positions but does not quite have the speed to be a standout center fielder nor the power to be a great corner outfielder. The 25-year-old does not walk or strike out much, fanning only 55 times last year and just 143 times in 1,245 career at-bats.
© 2003 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP
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