On Monday the Giants traded for five-time All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen, and it appears they did so without giving up any of their top prospects.
Heliot Ramos, Chris Shaw, and Tyler Beede — San Francisco’s No. 1, 2, and 3 ranked prospects respectively according to Baseball America — have not been traded to Pittsburgh in exchange for McCutchen, according to multiple reports.
Tyler Beede is not going to the Pirates for McCutchen. Neither is Chris Shaw, according to @jonmorosi. Only 300 more players in the organization to whittle down….
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) January 15, 2018
Random coming from me but Heliot Ramos isn’t in the trade to Pittsburgh either, per source. Not sure if that’s out there. https://t.co/areBTXuAWZ
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) January 15, 2018
Earlier reports indicated that what was holding up a trade between the Giants and Pirates — which has been discussed for at least a month — was that San Francisco was unwilling to part with their top prospects in exchange for McCutchen, after shipping Christian Arroyo to Tampa Bay as part of the Evan Longoria trade. It seems the Giants were able to have their cake and eat it too, and at this point, we’re not quite sure how.
Ramos, 18, was the Giants’ top pick in the 2017 Draft, and has ben reportedly coveted by a number of teams this offseason. Shaw, 24, was the Giants’ first-round pick in the 2015 Draft, and was a beast in AAA last year, finishing with a slash line of .289/.328/.530. While Shaw looks to have a future as a starting first baseman or outfielder, there are some who believe he would be best suited as a designated hitter. Beede, 24, was a first-round pick in the 2014 Draft, but struggled mightily in AAA last season, finishing with a 4.79 ERA in 19 starts.