Tigers#1
03-07-2003, 11:49 AM
Reds, Royals swap prospects
By Jim Callis
March 6, 2003
The first trade of spring training was hardly a blockbuster, as the Reds and Royals exchanged four prospects on Thursday. Cincinnati received righthander Jeff Austin and lefthander Brian Shackelford, while Kansas City got outfielder Alan Moye and third baseman Damaso Espino.
Austin, 26, was Baseball America's College Player of the Year and the fourth overall draft pick in 1998. But the Stanford product hasn't been able to break through in the majors, going 0-0, 5.35 in 31 games over parts of the last two seasons. He spent most of his time in 2002 at Triple-A Omaha, where he went 4-0, 3.27 in 39 appearances, with a 44-15 strikeout-walk ratio in 52 innings. Since moving to the bullpen in 2001, his velocity has jumped from the high 80s to the low to mid-90s but he still lacks fastball command. Austin now uses a slider more than a curveball, which used to be his trademark pitch. He also has a fringy changeup.
Shackelford is also 26 and a former 1998 draft pick, a 13th-rounder out of Oklahoma. He spent the first 4½ years of his pro career as an outfielder before becoming a full-time pitcher last July. A two-way player with the Sooners, he went 3-1, 3.51 in 22 games at Double-A Wichita last year. His control was very spotty, however, as he walked 26 and fanned 15 in 26 innings. Shackelford has an 89-92 mph fastball, and his curveball has its moments. He has a sound delivery and needs to get more experience on the mound.
Moye, 20, was a third-round pick out of a Texas high school in 2001 and might have gone higher had he not been strongly committed to Baylor. He's very athletic and the Reds tried to use him in a deal last summer with the Rangers, only to have Kenny Rogers veto the transaction. Moye stood out in Cincinnati's instructional league program last fall, showing wiry strength and plenty of speed. He's still working on translating his physical tools into baseball skills. He hit .261-5-22 with a 47-9 strikeout-walk ratio in 157 at-bats at Rookie-level Billings in 2002.
Espino, 19, signed out of Panama in 1999. He has spent the last three seasons in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, earning all-star honors in 2002 after hitting .332-0-32 in 58 games. He has some raw power (22 doubles), as well as some speed (eight steals) and versatility (logging considerable time at second base and shortstop as well as the hot corner). Espino also went 4-for-12 in a six-game cameo at Double-A Chattanooga.
By Jim Callis
March 6, 2003
The first trade of spring training was hardly a blockbuster, as the Reds and Royals exchanged four prospects on Thursday. Cincinnati received righthander Jeff Austin and lefthander Brian Shackelford, while Kansas City got outfielder Alan Moye and third baseman Damaso Espino.
Austin, 26, was Baseball America's College Player of the Year and the fourth overall draft pick in 1998. But the Stanford product hasn't been able to break through in the majors, going 0-0, 5.35 in 31 games over parts of the last two seasons. He spent most of his time in 2002 at Triple-A Omaha, where he went 4-0, 3.27 in 39 appearances, with a 44-15 strikeout-walk ratio in 52 innings. Since moving to the bullpen in 2001, his velocity has jumped from the high 80s to the low to mid-90s but he still lacks fastball command. Austin now uses a slider more than a curveball, which used to be his trademark pitch. He also has a fringy changeup.
Shackelford is also 26 and a former 1998 draft pick, a 13th-rounder out of Oklahoma. He spent the first 4½ years of his pro career as an outfielder before becoming a full-time pitcher last July. A two-way player with the Sooners, he went 3-1, 3.51 in 22 games at Double-A Wichita last year. His control was very spotty, however, as he walked 26 and fanned 15 in 26 innings. Shackelford has an 89-92 mph fastball, and his curveball has its moments. He has a sound delivery and needs to get more experience on the mound.
Moye, 20, was a third-round pick out of a Texas high school in 2001 and might have gone higher had he not been strongly committed to Baylor. He's very athletic and the Reds tried to use him in a deal last summer with the Rangers, only to have Kenny Rogers veto the transaction. Moye stood out in Cincinnati's instructional league program last fall, showing wiry strength and plenty of speed. He's still working on translating his physical tools into baseball skills. He hit .261-5-22 with a 47-9 strikeout-walk ratio in 157 at-bats at Rookie-level Billings in 2002.
Espino, 19, signed out of Panama in 1999. He has spent the last three seasons in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, earning all-star honors in 2002 after hitting .332-0-32 in 58 games. He has some raw power (22 doubles), as well as some speed (eight steals) and versatility (logging considerable time at second base and shortstop as well as the hot corner). Espino also went 4-for-12 in a six-game cameo at Double-A Chattanooga.