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The Tampa Bay Rays have traded Jeremy Hellickson to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league outfielder Justin Williams and minor league shortstop Andrew Velazquez, per multiple reports on Twitter.
Hellickson, who will be 28 next season, was a top 10 prospect in both the Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus rankings heading into the 2011 season, and appeared poised to establish himself as a legitimate top of the rotation starter after putting up a combined 7.0 bWAR in 2011 and 2012.
Unfortunately, Hellickson has fallen off a cliff since this, putting up an ERA north of 5 in 2013, then appearing in just 13 major league games last season, with a 4.52 ERA.
Hellickson is arbitration-eligible, and MLB Trade Rumors projects him to end up at $3.9 million for 2015.
Williams was the D-Backs' 2nd round pick in 2013, and Ben Badler just tweeted this about him:
Justin Williams is a strange prospect. Shows you big raw power in batting practice, then very little lift in his swing in games.
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) November 15, 2014
Williams appears to be a bat-first COF who had a nice slash line in 2014, but one largely driven by a .350+ batting average. Velazquez was a 7th round pick in 2012, and had a nice year in the Midwest League in 2014.
Here's Badler on Velazquez:
Andrew Velazquez is a little man with explosive tools. 70 runner. 60 arm. Contact issues, but manageable, and surprising sock for his size.
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) November 15, 2014
They both appear to be okay prospects, though they are both quite a ways away.
