Road to The Show™: Trade Deadline lookback

Each week, MiLB.com profiles prospects by chronicling the steps they’ve taken toward achieving their Major League dream. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here.

The 2024 Trade Deadline is upon us, and with it comes a slew of deals that are sure to shake up top prospect lists.

Entering Tuesday, just one member of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list had been moved to a new organization ahead of this year’s Trade Deadline.

Dylan Lesko, who currently ranks No. 76 overall, was dealt to the Rays from the Padres as part of a four-player package that sent reliever Jason Adam to San Diego. The 20-year-old right-hander had a delayed start to his professional career due to Tommy John surgery and was showing signs of struggle with his command with High-A Fort Wayne before being dealt. He now heads to a Rays system that has a terrific track record for maximizing high-ceiling talent.

Including Lesko, there are only 11 prospects listed among the Top 100 who have been traded during their careers, including nine players who were moved midseason. Here's a look at how each has fared since being dealt.

James Wood, No. 2 overall prospect, Washington Nationals

The 6-foot-7, 234-pound 21-year-old made his big league debut with the Nationals on July 1 after compiling a .353/.463/.595 slash line in 52 games with Triple-A Rochester. Wood has been Washington’s everyday left fielder since getting the call. He’s batting .239 with six extra-base hits, including a pair of homers, with 16 RBIs in 24 games. Wood was the headlining prospect in the 2022 Deadline deal that sent All-Star outfielder Juan Soto to the Padres. He’s likely been the most important acquisition in the Nationals’ rebuild, which began in 2021 and continues through this year’s deadline.

Kyle Manzardo, No. 35 overall prospect, Cleveland Guardians

The 24-year-old was on the injured list with a shoulder issue when he was dealt from the Rays to the Guardians for right-hander Aaron Civale at last year’s Trade Deadline. He recovered in time to have an incredibly hot finish to the regular season with Triple-A Columbus and make up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League. The first baseman was recalled for his Major League debut on May 6, but batted just .207 with 10 doubles and no homers in 30 games with the big league club. He was optioned back to Columbus on June 18 and is batting .239 with 10 extra-base hits, including five homers, and 18 RBIs in 27 games since.

Manzardo is not the only Top 100 prospect to be part of a deal between Tampa Bay and Cleveland. No. 3 overall prospect Junior Caminero originally signed with Cleveland just days before his 16th birthday in 2019 and was traded to the Rays for right-hander Tobias Meyers in November of 2021.

Drew Gilbert (No. 37), Ryan Clifford (No. 69), Luisangel Acuña (No. 90), New York Mets

After a dreadful start to the 2023 season, the Mets re-loaded their prospect depth with a pair of deals that sent two future Hall of Fame right-handers to American League West rivals for a trio of Top 100 prospects. Gilbert and Clifford came back from the Astros in exchange for Justin Verlander – and some pretty significant cash considerations – while Acuna landed in his MVP brother’s division as part of the deal that sent Max Scherzer to the World Series champion Rangers.

Gilbert had a tremendous finish to the season with Double-A Binghamton after the trade, batting .325 with a .984 OPS. He played in just seven games with Triple-A Syracuse this season before suffering a right hamstring strain. The outfielder played in his first rehab game on July 11 and returned to the Syracuse lineup last week.

The 21-year-old Clifford had a rough time with High-A Brooklyn, whose home ballpark is notorious for being tough on power hitters, at the end of last year and beginning of this year. But he’s been much better since a promotion to Binghamton in May. Over his past 42 games, Clifford is batting .255 with a .975 OPS, 12 homers, 31 RBIs and 30 walks.

When the Mets acquired Acuña, he was in the midst of his best professional season. But he’s struggled to replicate that production in an uneven year with Syracuse. The 22-year-old put together a solid two-month span from May to June that saw him bat .290 with a .726 OPS, 14 extra-base hits and 18 stolen bases. But in his past 20 games, he’s batting just .225 with one triple and one double. The Mets continue to test his defensive versatility, giving him time at second base and center field in addition to his natural position of shortstop.

Edwin Arroyo, No. 47 overall prospect, Cincinnati Reds

The 20-year-old Arroyo suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder during Spring Training that will keep him out for the entire 2024 season. The switch-hitting shortstop was one of four prospects sent to the Reds from Seattle as part of the 2022 deal for right-hander Luis Castillo. Arroyo debuted in the organization with Single-A Daytona after the deal and played 119 games for High-A Daytona before a late promotion to Double-A Chattanooga last year. In total, he batted .252/.324/.433 with 13 homers, 28 doubles, 11 triples and 60 RBIs.

Kevin Alcántara, No. 63 overall prospect, Chicago Cubs

The man they call The Jaguar originally signed with the Yankees on his 16th birthday in 2018 and was dealt to the Cubs for Anthony Rizzo three years later. The 6-foot-6 outfielder has steadily climbed the ladder in Chicago’s system and was part of a Southern League championship winning club for Double-A Tennessee last year. He returned to the Smokies this season and is batting .276 with a .755 OPS, 13 homers and 38 RBIs. Alcántara is one of seven prospects ranked among the Top 100 for the Cubs, who are in a unique position as buyers, having already traded for All-Star Isaac Paredes, and potential sellers at this year’s Deadline. Owen Caissie, the No. 34 overall prospect, also landed with the Cubs via trade. Caissie was part of the seven-player deal that sent righty Yu Darvish to San Diego in December of 2020.

Edgar Quero, No. 71 overall prospect, Chicago White Sox

The 21-year-old backstop was the featured prospect in the deal between the White Sox and Angels that sent right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez back to Los Angeles. Quero was terrific for Double-A Birmingham both after the trade and at the start of this season. In 72 games with the Barons before he was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte, Quero batted .275 with an .823 OPS, 12 homers and 53 RBIs. Quero, who originally signed with the Angels out of Cuba in 2021, was also the star of the MiLB at Rickwood Field game, during which he went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. In the 12 games since his promotion, Quero has 11 hits, including a homer, in 41 at-bats (.268) with a .412 on-base percentage.