Trade Central: Marlins Pick Up Cervenka For ‘Pen

THE DEAL

If there was doubt about the high cost of acquiring relief pitching this summer, it died with the deals for rental player Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, who separately brought back two of the game’s top 30 prospects. But that price has trickled to other deals for not-as-elite relievers.

On Saturday, for example, the Marlins sent two players—Anfernee Seymour, their No. 8 prospect, and lefthander Michael Mader, their No. 24 prospect entering the season—to the Braves for lefty reliever Hunter Cervenka.

The Marlins are tied for the second wild-card spot in the National League and needed another lefty to go with Mike Dunn, but Cervenka, who’s bounced from the Red Sox to the Cubs to independent ball before landing with the Braves, has walked 23 batters in 34 innings this season.

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BRAVES ACQUIRE Anfernee Seymour, ss Age: 21

The Marlins felt Seymour could be a game-changer with his speed, but they were also encouraged as he started to show some feel to hit this season at low Class A. He has well-below average power, but he makes enough contact and can leg out hits with his plus speed. He’s a decent defender at short, but the Marlins planned to give him some reps at second base. He might also profile better as a utility man who can play a bit in the outfield and come off the bench and steal a bag.

Club (League)	Class	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG
Greensboro (SAL)	LoA	.252	103	409	61	103	13	3	1	26	22	96	36	.293	.306

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Michael Mader, lhp Age: 22

Not overpowering, Mader, drafted out of Jeff Johnson’s Chipola (Fla.) JC baseball factory, possesses a fastball that sits 90-93 and his best breaking pitch is an overhand curve that has improved thanks to getting away from a big leg kick. Mader lacks projection, but has smooth mechanics and profiles as a back-of-the-rotation type.

Club (League)	Class	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
Jupiter (FSL)	HiA	7	6	3.41	22	21	103	97	43	39	5	45	81

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MARLINS ACQUIRE Hunter Cervenka, lhp Age: 26

A 27th-round pick of the Red Sox in 2008 from a Texas high school, Cervenka wound his way through Boston’s and the Cubs’ systems before being released in May 2015. He hooked on with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters and pitched well enough to gain the Braves’ attention. Command has long been Cervenka’s bugaboo as he’s averaged six walks per nine innings in the minors. This season he’s averaging six walks, but he has neutralized lefty hitters (.143/.264/.242) with a fastball that averages 93 mph and a hard slider at 87 that he throws about 54 percent of the time, per Fangraphs.

Club (League)	Class	W	L	ERA	G	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
Mississippi (Southern)	AA	0	0	0.00	2	0	3	1	0	0	0	1	2
Atlanta (NL)	MAJ	1	0	3.18	50	0	34	20	14	12	2	23	35