The St. Louis Cardinals have made a major deal for a big bat.
The Cardinals acquired first baseman Paul Goldschmidt from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Among the players headed back to Arizona is former top-100 pitching prospect Luke Weaver.
Welcome to Arizona! The #Dbacks have acquired right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly, infielder Andrew Young and a 2019 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick from the Cardinals in exchange for Paul Goldschmidt. pic.twitter.com/ylANMvt8kU
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) December 5, 2018
In addition to Weaver, Carson Kelly and Andy Young are going to Arizona. Kelly is a 24-year-old catcher who has only hit .154 during parts of three seasons with the Cardinals. Young is a 24-year-old second baseman prospect who hit .289 with an .858 OPS in High-A and Double-A combined last season.
Weaver is the real big piece in the return. He had a 2.03 career ERA in the minors and has gone 15-17 with a 4.79 ERA over parts of three seasons in the Majors. The former Florida State pitcher was a first-round pick by the Cardinals in 2014.
The Cardinals had emerged as a frontrunner for Goldschmidt in recent days, and indications on Wednesday were that talks were heating up.
St. Louis has long sought to add a big bat, and Goldschmidt fits the bill. He’s hit at least 30 home runs in four of his last six seasons, and has consistently hit in the .290-.300 range over the course of his career. He’s also known as a very good defender. He’s headed into the final season of his contract, and the Cardinals will risk not having him signed long-term when making the deal.
