M’s Acquire Domingo Santana From Brewers For Gamel, Zavolas

Image credit: Domingo Santana (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

In their continuing effort to reshape their roster, the Mariners joined the flurry of pre-holiday trades by acquiring outfielder Domingo Santana from the Brewers. Pushed to a fourth outfielder’s role by the acquisitions of Lorenzo Cain and NL MVP Christian Yelich last winter, Santana’s path to playing time will be much clearer in Seattle.

 

BREWERS ACQUIRE

Ben Gamel, OF
Age: 26

Gamel was acquired from the Yankees in August 2016, then carved out a fourth outfielder’s role in Seattle. He showed contact and on-base skills in his time with the Mariners, though not the power you’d want from someone playing in corner outfield spots where his defensive skills are best suited. His hair, however, is spectacular.

Noah Zavolas, RHP
Age: 22

Zavolas was the Mariners’ 18th-round selection in the 2018 draft, out of Harvard. He spent most of his pro debut with short-season Everett, though he made a cameo with high Class A Modesto as well. He pitches with a below-average fastball in the 87-91 mph range, complements the pitch with an average changeup and throws plenty of strikes. He whiffed 41 in 38.2 innings against just 11 walks.

MARINERS ACQUIRE

Domingo Santana, OF
Age: 25

With this trade, Santana joins his fourth organization. The former Phillie, Astro and Brewer was squeezed out of playing time in Milwaukee and had a miserable year from a hard contact standpoint. The website Baseball Savant shows that Santana’s exit velocity, barrel percentage and hard-hit percentage were each among the bottom 1 percent in the major leagues. This, a year after putting up a 30-homer season for the Brewers with regular playing time. He’ll try to recapture his power stroke in Seattle.