The best player in the Adam LaRoche - Mike Gonzalez trade might not be Adam LaRoche. And it might not be Mike Gonzalez. Rather, the most valuable long-term commodity in the deal is Brent Lillibridge, the minor league “throw-in” that John Schuerholz picked up in the deal.
Lillibridge is a 23-year-old shortstop who put up a .282 EqA between two minor league levels last season, a figure comparable to that of Edgar Renteria and Rafael Furcal, the two shortstops most recently associated with the Braves. He plays good defense — both stats and scouts agree on this — and stole 53 bases at a high percentage clip.
There are negatives; he’s not a huge guy and probably won’t hit for a ton of power. He wasn’t especially young for his leagues (though he wasn’t “stuck”; Lillibridge was a 2005 draft pick and has already ‘graduated’ three levels).
Still, there’s not a lot to differentiate this skill set from Rafael Furcal’s, and PECOTA projects a Furcalesque .277/.349/.428 line for Lillibridge next season. You could also call Lillibridge a more athletic Dustin Pedroia, but Kevin Goldstein likes his scouting attributes a lot better, and to some extent the Braves bringing him in to their organization constitutes an endorsement of his makeup. What’s more, he should get a chance to play soon, as the Braves are very thin in the infield and don’t have an incumbent second baseman at all. Lillibridge appearing in the Opening Day lineup is not out of the question.
Add it all up, and PECOTA thinks he’s one of the 10 or 15 better prospects in the game. You won’t find him that high on other lists, but this is a steal for Schuerholz.
Future Shock: Pittsburgh Pirates Top Ten Prospects
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