Grading the Prospects in the Halladay-Lee Blockbuster

Following any blockbuster trade, questions about the lesser known names involved in the deal are inevitable. There were several talented prospects swapped between the Mariners, Phillies, Blue Jays and Athletics in the Roy Halladay-Cliff Lee megadeal, but just how do these players profile as future big-leaguers?

That's a question the pro scouting departments of these teams have been working hard to try and answer from start to finish of this deal.

The prospects on the move profile from anywhere between solid regulars to dominant players at their positions. In other words, Lee and Halladay might not be the only star-level talents involved in this trade when it's all said and done.

Below, the guys involved in this deal who don't have Cy Young Awards in their trophy case (at least not yet) are grouped based on the 2-8 scouting scale, with 8 representing a truly elite talent.

7s (Dominant Player at Position)

Phillippe Aumont, RHP (Going to Phillies): The best pure arm, and the player with the most upside in this deal, is Aumont, lower right. He is not as far along in his development as Kyle Drabek but the raw stuff stacks up with anyone. Armed with a 92-95 mph heavy sinking fastball and a four-seamer he can sit at 94-98 mph with, the 6-foot-7 Canadian can get by on arm alone. Couple that with his plus breaking ball at 79-83 mph and Aumont has two pitches that could make him a downright dominant force. You can also see the reason the Mariners could not resist the temptation to fast track him in the bullpen.

He has the frame, durability and stuff to start, but he still has some work to do in terms of command and pitchability. If you consider his devastating two-pitch combination and big sinking action, he profiles as a potentially lights out closer. No matter what role he's in, you don't often get the opportunity to add this type of pitching talent to a farm system. His potential is through the roof.

Kyle Drabek, RHP (Going to Blue Jays): If Aumont is the elite pitching prospect with the best stuff in this deal, then Drabek is the pitcher with the best combination of stuff and polish. He's undersized, but the 22-year-old has the stuff, bloodlines and feel for pitching to perform at the top of a big-league rotation. Aside from some lingering makeup concerns, Drabek is very close to the total package.

With plus command of a 91-94 mph fastball, and a plus downer curveball, he has two weapons he can go to. The changeup is still progressing. Assuming he remains healthy, all signs point to big things for Drabek.

6s (Above-Average Major Leaguers)

Tyson Gillies, CF (Going to Phillies): The world met Gillies at this year's Futures Game, as he not only impressed with his inspiring story but his potentially game-changing skills. Few players in the minors have the speed of Gillies, and he has the range to be a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder. The offense has continued to improve, as the 21-year-old had a fantastic 2009 campaign, hitting .341 with nine home runs and 44 stolen bases. He has successfully turned phenomenal raw tools and athleticism into on-field results. Any scout would tell you that as enticing as tools can be, they rarely come together as well as they have for the left-handed-hitting Gillies.

Who Got What?
Phillies
Roy Halladay, RHP Phillippe Aumont, RHP Tyson Gillies, OF Juan Ramirez, RHP
Mariners
Cliff Lee, LHP
Blue Jays
Travis d'Arnaud, C Kyle Drabek, RHP Brett Wallace, 3B
Athletics
Michael Taylor, OF

Michael Taylor, OF (Going to Athletics): The 6-foot-6, athletic outfielder has the type of talent to help a team in all facets. Taylor has 30-homer power and the ability to steal 20-30 bases in the majors. He has improved vastly in the last two seasons, and he appears ready to start in the majors out of spring training in 2010. There are not many glaring holes in Taylor's game, so if he can stay in the strike zone at the plate, he should continue to put up impressive numbers.

Brett Wallace, 3B (Going to Blue Jays): He doesn't bring a lot to the table defensively. He doesn't have a prototypical baseball body. That is the downside of Wallace. The really large upside is his potent left-handed bat. He's going to need to play first base, which also means he's going to need to hit in a big way. Wallace figures to be a perennial .300 hitter with 25-homer power. His short, compact stroke and solid plate discipline should make his transition to the majors less difficult than it is for most minor-league sluggers. His bat has been what's carried him this far and it is what will carry him at the next level as well.

J.C. Ramirez, RHP (Going to Phillies): Adding power arms to your system has no downside. Ramirez has yet to dominate at the minor league level, but he has the type of arm with which you remain patient. He struggled in 2009, but the stuff is still there. With a moving 92-94 mph fastball and easy arm action, the raw skills are clearly present. A move to the bullpen may be in his future as he struggles to master his secondary pitches. He figures to be a high-risk, high-reward type of guy, but if he pans out, he has the stuff to be very effective in the late innings. Best-case scenario: He still does have the ability to be a starter but his secondary pitches need to come a long way.

The 5 (Average Player)

Travis d'Arnaud, C (Going to Blue Jays): Although his power came along a little quicker than most scouts expected, d'Arnaud still has a ways to go offensively. You have to look at the upside, as he is not a now prospect. He's a very good athlete, and has even shown the ability to swipe a base, but he's still learning on the field. There's a lot to like here both offensively and behind the plate, especially as a supporting piece in this deal, but d'Arnaud is likely a few years away from contributing at the big-league level. He has the skills to be an everyday catcher.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.