The news of a trade came from St. Louis this afternoon, but it wasn’t quite what everyone wanted or expected. The Cards acquired right-handed hitting outfielder Austin Dean from the Miami Marlins in exchange for 19-year-old minor league outfielder Diowill Burgos.
The 26-year-old appeared in 98 career games with the Marlins — batting .223 with 10 HRs, 65 hits, 35 RBI, and 69 SO. In two major league seasons, he slashed .223/.268/.388.
In 73 games with the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Miami’s previous AAA team before moving to Wichita for 2020), Dean earned an average of .337 with 18 HRs, 85 hits, 57 RBI, and 52 SO. He slashed .337/.401/.635 in his 2019 season.
Hey #STLCards fans, here is your new outfielder. He’s fun! pic.twitter.com/cPsbgVccPu
— Chelsea Ladd (@chelseabrooke) January 14, 2020
Dean was drafted by Miami in the 4th round of the 2012 June Amateur Draft from Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas. The right-handed 6’1 outfielder exceeded his rookie limits during the 2019 season. He debuted on August 15, 2018 against Atlanta. Dean went on to hit his first MLB career home run on August 17, 2018 against Washington.
He was named the Marlins Minor League Player of the Year in 2018 after batting .345 with 12 HRs, 68 RBI bouncing between playing time in New Orleans (AAA) and Jacksonville (AA).
While spending his entire career, the Marlins designated him for assignment last week to make room for Francisco Cervelli. Unfortunately, both FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference value his contributions as of 2020 far below replacement level. (But there is room for improvement with the right team.)
He isn’t exactly what the Cardinals faithful were expecting today, but it is something. From watching him as a Marlin, he seems like the type of guy to play whichever position is thrown at him.
The bait?
Diowill Burgos was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an international free agent in September of 2017 out of San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic. He appeared in 58 games last season between the Dominican Summer League and Gulf Coast League.
In two seasons with the Cardinals, Burgos slashed .263/.366/.475 with 110 hits, 17 HRs, 81 RBI, and 123 SO. He played in the outfield, batting left-handed and throwing right-handed.
The St. Louis Cardinals will add Dean to the 40-man Major League roster, which now stands at 39 players with spring training starting next month.
(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
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