The Miami Marlins have been selling off their more expensive players in order to build around their young, controllable core, but what happens when some of those up-and-coming stars decide they don’t want to stick around?
Craig Mish of SiriusXM Radio reported on Monday that Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto has informed the Marlins he wants to be traded. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic later confirmed the report.
Source : JT Realmuto has requested a trade from the Marlins.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) December 18, 2017
Source confirms report from @CraigMish: #Marlins’ Realmuto wants to be traded. Elite catcher under three years of control likely would bring back significant value.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2017
Realmuto, 26, is considered one of the best young catchers in baseball. He batted .278 with 17 home runs and 65 RBI last season in 141 games. The year before, Realmuto played in 137 games and batted .303.
Since he is under team control for another three seasons, the Marlins could likely demand a large haul in a trade for Realmuto. The fact that he wants out of Miami could decrease his market value slightly, but teams will still be willing to give up plenty. The Marlins have already been stock-piling prospects in trades involving Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna, and they should be able to land a couple more if they deal Realmuto.
