Part 2 in our series for players the Cincinnati Reds should do their due diligence and take a look at trading for. For our article on Luis Robert Jr., click here. Honestly, the Cincinnati Reds don’t really go out and make splash moves. Prospect hoarding and developing is the name of the game. Cincinnati is more likely to make a move for a guy like Brent Rooker that won’t break the bank, but is worth the move to acquire. The Reds are starting to turn the ship around after a horrid May. We’ll see if they can make some noise against the Brewers and really get going, but they need two things – a bona fide right handed hitter in the outfield, and a left handed hitting infielder.
That’s where Brent Rooker comes in. If they continue this run their on, they’ll be in a great position at the deadline and there’s a certain available power-hitting outfielder they could control through the 2027 season through arbitration.
Analyzing Brent Rooker’s game/trade value
Brent Rooker is a very interesting piece: He is every bit of a ‘late bloomer’ – he’ll be 30 years old in November and hasn’t even logged 1,000 MLB at-bats just yet. It wasn’t until recently that he begun to blossom into the All Star that he’s been for the Oakland Athletics. He has bounced between 4 teams thus far, and finally found a home with the dreadful A’s. As this article is being published, he is slashing .263/.346/.522/.868 – that would lead the Cincinnati Reds in every offensive category currently. He’s also whacked 13 HRs, which…you guessed it, would lead the Reds.
There’s quite a bit of hole in Rooker’s game; like most guys hitting 30 HRs a year nowadays, he strikes out a LOT. The Cincinnati Reds already employ the 1st & 2nd players with the most Ks. Elly and Will Benson. Would adding Rooker, who is just below them at 4th most (with 80 Ks) make sense? We’d say so because of his sheer value besides that. But what is he even worth at 30 years old, 3 more years of control? We’ll dive into it…
Acquiring Brent Rooker fills a massive hole in the lineup.
Writers Mike & Nati traded ideas of potential packages. Be sure to look at Mike’s below Nati’s. Remember, Nick Krall has a good relationship with the Oakland Athletics. Last deadline (23) the Cincinnati Reds went and acquired Sam Moll for highly talented Joe Boyle. This wouldn’t be the first time the two clubs matched up together for a trade on a player that was controllable.
Nati’s package for the Oakland Athletics
Why does Nati’s make sense for both teams?
The Oakland Athletics’ system is dire for some arms. They are very bottom heavy with pitching prospects. Chase Petty would give them a potential frontline starter one day and Lyon Richardson is a good Spence replace/potential MLB starter as well. The Reds could use Mitch Spence in the bullpen as a dimensional guy, he can start/open and his GB% is perfect for Great American Ballpark.
I’ll be honest, asking for Spence here is me being greedy but I absolutely love the projectables here. I’d even swap Carlos Jorge here for Ricardo Cabrera if they included him with Rooker. I don’t think Rooker has as much value as the industry thinks being as he’s 30 years old, but he DOES come with 3 more years of control, and he absolutely has a 151 wRC+ this year to go with his 127 wRC+ last year. He would fit the Reds tremendously. We’d get a “sure thing” versus the “Oh Will Benson please stop sucking” or the “Jake Fraley can’t hit homers anymore”. Go get him…
Mike V’s package for the Oakland Athletics
What the Reds Get
OF Brent Rooker
Why does Mike’s make sense for both teams?
Cincinnati is in desperate need of a young, controllable right handed outfielder, and Brent Rooker is currently the “best deal” available on the market. He slugged 30 home runs last season and is an everyday player in this Reds lineup. Given that his defense is a little below average, Brent Rooker is also a fantastic candidate for DH – a position at which the Reds have employed names such as Mike Ford, Jacob Hurtubise, Nick Martini all within the last month.
My only knock on a move for Brent Rooker is his strikeout numbers. However, I’m removing some strikeouts by giving back Will Benson. Rooker’s advanced statistics are phenomenal – 90th percentile or better in Batting Run Value, xSLG, Barrel %, Hard Hit %, and Sweet Spot %. He’s also well above average in xBA, Bat Speed, BB %, and Average Exit Velo.
To get Brent Rooker, the Reds will have to give too.
Cincinnati might need to trade on of their top 15 prospects – Connor Phillips.
Phillips has struggled mightily of late, as we noted here. There’s no confusing his potential though. To be fair to Phillips, his performance so far has not dampened the expectations scouts have for him. The Athletics farm is depleted of any exciting pitching talent. They do have Joey Estes with the big league club right now and of course their best starter is JP Sears. I almost included Sears in the trade, but felt the A’s wouldn’t be moved to give up both. Bottom line – the A’s need a pitching prospect with potential and Phillips is dripping with it.
Don’t get me wrong – I love Will Benson. Love his hat and helmet losing antics. His speed around the bases. His ability in the field. I do not love strikeouts coupled with a low average and weak run production. I think Benson is a true big league player. But his ceiling is a platoon guy that bats against RHP. The A’s could get away with playing him everyday to see what they have and if he can blossom in an everyday role.
The Reds may have to give up more for Brent Rooker. If I added anybody else in, it would have to be a guy like RHP Lyon Richardson or RHP Zach Maxwell. Somebody on the fringes in the Reds organization, but who would see some actual game time in with Oakland.
All-in-all the Reds acquire a solid right handed outfield bat and don’t have to give up a ton. Just imagine these following lineups when the Reds are at full strength.
| vLHP | vRHP | |
| C | Tyler Stephenson | Tyler Stephenson |
| 1B | Spencer Steer | Christian Encarnacion-Strand |
| 2B | Matt McLain | Matt McLain |
| 3B | Noelvi Marte | Noelvi Marte |
| SS | Elly De La Cruz | Elly De La Cruz |
| LF | Brent Rooker | Spencer Steer |
| CF | TJ Friedl | TJ Friedl |
| RF | Stuart Fairchild | Jake Fraley |
| DH | Jeimer Candelario | Brent Rooker |
Comment your trade ideas below.
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