Rays Grab Premium Talent for Matt Garza

When you graduate quite a few quality big league players out of your system the way the Rays have, and you lose the opportunity to pick early in the first round of the draft by having success, it gets more difficult to maintain a talent-rich crop of minor leaguers. One option they had was dealing off one of their desirable young starters like Matt Garza.

On Friday, they pulled off such a deal by dealing Garza to the Cubs for a highly desirable and impressive package of young players from the top tier of the Chicago farm system. From a major league personnel standpoint, it's disappointing to see Tampa lose another key player, but the Rays have to be happy with the haul of prospects they received in return. We'll take a look at what type of impact the three best prospects in the deal could have:

RHP Chris Archer

If you're going to deal a big league starter with premium stuff, as an organization you have to hope you can get a talent with comparable upside in return. Chris Archer is exactly that type of pitcher. The 6-foot-3 right-hander has premium raw stuff much like Garza, and had an eye-opening 2010 minor league campaign. If you are going to deal a pitcher with top-of-the-rotation stuff like Garza has, it's customary to try to get the other club's top prospect. The Rays got just that in Archer.

Scouts rave about Archer's mound demeanor, presence, and athleticism. All three of those things bode well for his ability to adapt and make adjustments at the big league level.
A bit of a late bloomer in the world of elite prospects, Archer carved up minor league hitters at both High-A and Double-A, striking out over a man per inning. And in his 13 starts at Double-A to finish out his phenomenal 2010 season he held opposing batters to just a .198 average.

Those big numbers are all well and good, but it was the stuff that jumped out at scouts and front office personnel in 2010. Working consistently at 93-95 mph and hitting as high as 97-98 mph, Archer can cruise at times on the strength of his lively, moving fastball. And then there is his slider, which has been graded by scouts anywhere from a plus pitch to a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. With these two offerings there is very little doubt that he can miss bats at the next level.

Not unlike the man he was traded for, Garza, Archer still has some work to do in terms of command. But the good news is that he has improved steadily in that area since turning pro. And while his changeup is absolutely his third pitch at this stage in his career, it's a serviceable offering.

Scouts rave about Archer's mound demeanor, presence, and athleticism as well. All three of those things bode well for his ability to adapt and make adjustments at the big league level. If you are going to give the Rays credit for one thing in recent years, give them credit for their ability to identify frontline-type young starters. They may have just got their hands on another one in this 22-year-old right-hander.

SS Hak-Ju Lee

The Rays have had a number of players in recent years that they believed would be the long-term answer at shortstop, from B.J. Upton to Reid Brignac. Although they've been able to fill a number of positions from within, it seems that shortstop has given them a bit of a problem.

Over the course of the regular season I spoke frequently about the exciting skillset of Hak-Ju Lee (read a full scouting report here). I saw him play extremely well in Low-A Peoria, and then hold his own nicely even as a 19-year-old in the Futures Game. Now 20 years old, Lee is a player you need to have a little imagination with. He does some truly spectacular things on a baseball field, but at the same time also shows some very crude aspects in his game.

What immediately stands out about Lee is his defense. His plus range, plus arm, and plus hands allow him to make some mind-blowing plays deep in the hole and up the middle. He does get sloppy at times, but most evaluators, myself included, believe that's something he'll grow out of with age and maturity. But what the Rays have right off the bat is a player who absolutely can stick at the position and be a Gold Glove-type defender at the next level.

At this stage in his career, Lee's offense is slightly behind his defensive game. Although he has some surprising pop to right-center field, Lee doesn't have a lot of raw strength right now, but that may come down the road. What he does have going for him, however, is outstanding speed. I graded his speed as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale back in May, and he even flashes 80 wheels at times.

Routinely able to beat out ground balls and turn doubles into triples, his speed and ability to cause havoc on the basepaths is going to be Lee's ticket at the major league level. The lefty-hitting Korea native will put bat on ball even if more power does not develop, and his plate discipline continues to improve. There's little doubt he has the good bat speed and swing mechanics to make the necessary adjustments as he moves up the ladder.

It's important to keep in mind that Lee will take some time to move up and he is indeed quite crude. But he fits the type of profile that organizations look for in a franchise shortstop. And that's something Tampa Bay has long been searching for.

OF Brandon Guyer

Although the Rays' scouting staff is often tabbed as one that just identifies raw tools and athleticism well, they also have a good track record of identifying players with strong hit tools. Brandon Guyer fits into that category of player.

A player with good athleticism and physical skills, what really stands out about the righty-swinging 24-year-old is his ability to put bat on ball. He uses the whole field well and handles offspeed pitches like a far more experienced hitter. Whether he profiles as an everyday regular remains to be seen, but with his ability to handle all three spots in the outfield, his plus speed, and solid tools across the board, he may most realistically be very strong fourth outfielder.

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.

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Steve Phillips breaks down the Cubs' deal for Matt Garza: