Jorge Alfarois headed to the Sunshine State…
The Philadelphia Phillieshave traded the 25-year-old Colombian professional baseball catcher to the Miami Marlins, in a deal that includes pitching prospects Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart, as well as an international bonus slot.
In exchange, Miami will send All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto to Philadelphia.
Alfaro is a power-hitting, cannon-armed catcher who will join a young group in Miami.
Sanchez is the most well-regarded prospect in the deal, a 6-foot right-hander whose fastball sits in the high 90s and tops out over 100 mph. The 20-year-old missed a majority of the 2018 season with elbow inflammation.
Stewart, 21, excelled in Class A last season, going 8-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 20 starts.
“We did not have to trade J.T.,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hillsaid. “But our goal is to build a long-term sustainable championship organization.”
Miami is hopeful Sanchez and Alfaro can blossom into stars. Sanchez especially has incredible upside, though the list of short, right-handed starters with huge velocity who have succeeded in the major leagues is not long.
“In Sanchez, we saw a front-of-the-rotation starter,” Hill said. “Electric stuff — a pitcher we think can develop and lead a championship rotation.”
