Manuel Margot became a Portland Sea Dog on June 22, 2015. Barely a month later, his time with the Boston Red Sox Double-A affiliate could potentially be coming to an end. In fact, his stay with the Red Sox organization could be ending very soon.
For months now, the Red Sox have been interested in acquiring Philadelphia Phillies’ left-handed ace Cole Hamels. The Phillies have reportedly lowered the price on Hamels after initially asking for players like Mookie Betts or Blake Swihart. With both Betts and Swihart now established and everyday players in the Red Sox lineup, the Phillies have started to zone in on other prospects, Margot in particular.
Manuel Margot, the number four prospect in the Red Sox system according to MLB.com, is in his fourth season in the Red Sox system after being signed as a teenager. Margot, 20, started the season with the High-A Salem Red Sox before being promoted to Portland 34 days ago. Margot is hitting .263 with Portland and .274 on the year. Margot had ‘advanced quicker than expected,’ according to the Red Sox, and ‘is the best all-around player in the Red Sox system’ according to multiple scouts.
Margot is regarded as a five-tool player. In 29 games with the Red Sox, Margot has stolen eight` bases which, in a 162-game MLB season, translates to 44.6 stolen bases on the year. Margot has also flashed impressive power. While he has only hit four home runs this season, Margot walloped 12 dingers last year over 115 games which translates to 17 home runs in a full MLB season. If he continues to produce on this level, the Phillies have very good reason to want Margot. What team wouldn’t want a leadoff hitter who has a solid average, flashes impressive power, possesses excellent speed, has a decent arm in center field, and plays excellent defense (12 career errors over 4 seasons)?
Margot certainly isn’t doing anything to hurt his trade value. In a Sunday afternoon game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Margot went 3-for-5 with two runs, knocked in a run, and displayed his impressive speed when he legged out a sixth-inning RBI triple.
Margot would almost certainly not be the only prospect in a deal for Hamels. No other specific names have surfaced in the rumors, but Triple-A prospects like Garin Cecchini or Deven Marrero could be expendable and involved in what would be a major trade.
Now the real question is if the Red Sox want to part with Margot? Looking ahead, Margot could eventually form a dynamic power/speed duo atop the Red Sox lineup with Mookie Betts. At the same time, Hamels is a proven winner, with three All-Star game appearances and a World Series ring. He has finished in the top-10 for Cy Young award voting four times and has averaged 223 innings and 34 starts per season. However, he is 31-years-old and with the Red Sox not contending this year, do they want to part with one of the best players in their farm system to get a pitcher whose best days may be behind him?
The answer to that question will be discovered this weekend. If Margot is still in a Sea Dogs uniform on Saturday, August 1, the day after the July 31st trading deadline, the answer is no. However, if Margot is in Reading, playing with the Phillies’ Double-A affiliate, the answer is clearly yes.