Trade Central: Mets Add Tyler Naquin, Phillip Diehl In Trade With Reds

Looking to upgrade their outfield and bullpen, the Mets reached out to the Reds on Thursday night and acquired Tyler Naquin and lefthander Phillip Diehl. Naquin, who has dealt with injuries this season and has been limited to just 56 games, has hit righthanders well both this year and historically. He’s likely a platoon option in the outfield.

Diehl is a journeyman lefty who has spent most of the year in Triple-A with the Reds, though he’s made five big league appearances this season. In the minors, he’s had nearly equal success this year against both righties and lefties. 

In exchange, the Reds acquired two low-level prospects—righthander Jose Acuña and infielder Hector Rodriguez—who’ve spent the bulk of their young careers at the Rookie levels.

METS ACQUIRE
Tyler Naquin, OF

Age: 31

Naquin, Cleveland’s first-rounder in 2012 out of Texas A&M, has carved out a career as a hitter who does well against righthanders. His line against them over his career is .280/.332/.473. Fifty of his 56 career home runs have come against righties. He can play all three outfield positions but is best suited for right field, where he has played nearly exclusively in 2022. 

Phillip Diehl, LHP

Age: 28

Diehl was selected by the Yankees in the 27th round of the 2016 draft out of Louisiana Tech. He was swapped to the Rockies in 2019, then picked up by Cincinnati on a waiver claim in 2021. He’s worked mostly at Triple-A this season and utilizes a repertoire fronted mostly by a low-90s fastball and a low-80s slider. He’s been used sparingly in the big leagues over the last three seasons in Colorado and Cincinnati and needs to show better command. 

REDS ACQUIRE
Jose Acuña, RHP

Age: 19

The Mets signed Acuña out of Venezuela in 2019 on the strength of a projectable frame and three-pitch mix led by a lively fastball that has touched as high as 95 mph. He made his professional debut in 2021 in the Florida Complex League, returned there to begin this year and made his full-season debut on July 17 with Low-A St. Lucie. His fastball shows excellent life and is delivered from a lower launch angle. He backs the pitch with a slider with cutter-type break in the low 80s as well as a changeup he can throw for strikes but needs further development. 

Hector Rodriguez, 2B

Age: 18

Rodriguez signed with the Mets out of the Dominican Republic in 2021, spent his first pro season in the DSL before moving stateside in 2022. He’s played the majority of this year in the Florida Complex League, with two Low-A games mixed in as well. He’s a bat-first middle infielder, with an aggressive, free-swinging approach but an uncanny ability to make contact. Rodriguez hit for some power in the FCL this summer but doesn’t project to be more than a below-average power hitter at peak. He will go as far as his hit tool allows.