http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=castel002nic
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=ray---001rob
Look at Baseball Reference pages. For Castellanos, it lists rankings for Baseball America, MLB and Baseball Prospectus. He was ranked in all 3 and in multiple years.
Robbie Ray has never been listed in the Top 100 until this year and only in MLB.
Robbie Ray has a career minor league WHIP of 1.36 and a walk rate of 4.0 BB/G. He only averaged 5.25 IP/GS in 2013, 4.86 IP/GS in 2012 and 4.45 IP/GS in 2011. Can anyone honestly look at these stats and say they are from a Top 100 prospect?
Robbie Ray cannot finish games as a starter and has not developed 2nd, 3rd and 4th pitches. Until he can do those things, he is projected to be a LOOGY. The Tiger brass are hoping he will be more, but that does it make it so.
There were ZERO top 100 prospects traded this off season. Teams just weren't looking to deal this off season. The front office didn't want Smyly spending another year in the pen so they made the best deal they could.
I've read that Ray really took a step up last year in velocity. Also, he increased innings every year as a professional. 142 IP last year as a 21 year old in his 3rd year sounds about right on target.
I know a lot of you guys hate the deal, but what other options do you suggest they should have done to get Smyly in the rotation?