The Boston Red Sox made an intriguing trade on Monday, acquiring top prospect Yophery Rodriguez, a draft pick, and a PTBNL from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for former first-round pick Quinn Priester.
Brewers and Red Sox Make a Trade
Brewers’ Return
Priester, a former member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, was initially traded to the Red Sox for top prospect Nick Yorke in July 2024. Spending most of his time in Triple-A Worcester, the righthander started nine games and pitched to a 5.40 era in 38.1 innings. Priester was eventually called up to the Majors, making a lone start against the Tampa Bay Rays in the team’s last game of the season. While just one start, Priester showed promise, allowing just four hits and one earned run over five innings in a Red Sox victory.
Heading into 2025, with injuries to Boston’s rotation, Priester had an outside shot at making the Opening Day roster as a backend starter. However, after a mediocre spring training that saw him pitch to a 4.82 ERA while allowing 14 hits (two of which were home runs) in nine and third innings, the Red Sox ultimately selected longtime journeyman Sean Newcomb, leading Priester to start the year in Worchester.
This is an excellent move by CBO Craig Breslow for the Red Sox. Despite his first-round pedigree, Priester has failed to establish himself as a Major League starter, and given his struggles, it is a great surprise that Breslow was able to get this much value.
Red Sox’s Return
While Boston acquired a PTBNL and the 33rd pick in the MLB Draft, the centerpiece of this deal is outfield prospect Yophery Rodriguez. Rodriguez, the Brewers’ seventh-ranked prospect, will join Boston’s talented farm system. Currently ranked 11th in the organization, he will likely be assigned to A+ Greenville, as he was assigned to that level heading out of spring training. Rodriguez spent his 2024 in Single-A, slashing .250/.343/.383/.726 with 23 doubles and seven homers in 110 games.
At just 19, Rodriguez has limitless potential. While he is still far off from his Major League debut (currently projected for 2027), he is yet another talented piece to add to the farm. A member of the 2023 international signing class, the Venezuelan has already turned heads; at just 18 in 2024, he was the youngest starter in the Carolina League, making his numbers even more impressive.
Trade Winners & Losers
Overall, this trade is a win for the Red Sox and Priester. The Red Sox got excellent value for a player who had no real future in Boston, as the rotation is already filled with established starters. While Rodriguez still has a ways to go in his development, he has a high ceiling, and even if he doesn’t fit into Boston’s future plans, he could be used as coveted capital for any future trades. For Milwaukee, this trade seems like an overpay. Despite being drafted in the first round, Priester has not performed in the Big Leagues, owning a career 6.23 ERA in 99.2 innings of work.
With that said, it is hard to justify the Brewers’ decisions, as in addition to giving up a prospect who was ranked so highly in their system, they also had to fork over an additional player and a second-rounder. However, Priester is still young, and given Milwaukee’s previous success with pitching, perhaps they can get something out of him. For Priester, this trade is huge. With Milwaukee’s injury-riddled rotation, this move will provide him with the opportunity to prove himself as a Major League pitcher. At just 24 years old, Priester still has a lot of baseball left, and this change in scenery gives him a fair chance at proving his worth.
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