The Boston Red Sox made a blockbuster trade on Dec. 11 to acquire left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. To obtain the ace, Boston, unsurprisingly, had to send away some big-name prospects.
The final deal ended up being Crochet to the Red Sox for Kyle Teel (No. 4), Braden Montgomery (No. 5), Chase Meidroth (No. 11), and Wikelman Gonzalez (No. 14). But was it worth it for what Boston gave up? Let's grade the trade and come to a conclusion.
Spoiler alert: this was a great deal.
Crochet is a 25-year-old left-handed pitcher coming off a career year. He's only thrown 219 career innings, which gave fans pause when we saw the ridiculous rumors about what it would take to get him.
For this price, though? It was the right move.
Grading the Boston Red Sox's trade for White Sox ace Garrett Crochet
Teel is the headliner, as he is one of the best catching prospects in baseball. The left-handed hitter gets on base and can hit with some pop. He also has plenty of athleticism for the position, which allows him to sneakily swipe some bags and leg out some more extra-base hits.
Of the "Big Four" (Teel, Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer), Teel was the one reporters expected the Red Sox would be most comfortable moving on from. Yes, he plays a premium position. However, that is why he is so highly regarded as a prospect. Teel's outlook gets a boost due to his position. The other three have better tools.
Any trade involving Anthony or Campbell would've been an immediate no-go for me. Mayer would've been much closer to that end than Teel.
We'll likely see Teel as a very good big league catcher for a long time. The Red Sox can have enough going on in their lineup that a good defensive catcher with limited offense will be just fine for them, though.
Montgomery was Boston's first-round pick in 2024. He has yet to play a game in the organization. The switch-hitting outfield felt like the next big prospect once the "Big Four" graduated to the majors.
Even with that distinction, he had no guaranteed spot. The outfield at Fenway is already too crowded, and it will include Anthony soon. Meanwhile, Jhostynxon Garcia made waves last year and has suddenly become a legitimate option in the pastures. There are other potential talents like Miguel Bleis, Nelly Taylor, Allan Castro, and even Justin Gonzales. The Red Sox outfield is already jam-packed with more reinforcements in the wings. Boston was selling from a position of strength.
Garrett Crochet, ladies and gentlemen. pic.twitter.com/hfigD4iaO6
— Red Sox (@RedSox) December 11, 2024
Meidroth has done nothing but hit and get on base since joining the organization. The right-handed hitting infielder flew up to Triple-A thanks to his incredible ability to get on base and severely limit strikeouts.
Last season, Meidroth posted a .437 OBP with 105 walks compared to only 71 strikeouts in 558 plate appearances for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. However, he has limited power (seven home runs), and his path is blocked. Boston already has Trevor Story, Rafael Devers, and Vaughn Grissom in the majors. Romy Gonzalez, Nick Sogard, and David Hamilton proved to be valuable pieces. Ceddanne Rafaela plays everywhere.
And when it comes to other prospects, Mayer and Campbell are both in Triple-A and ahead of Meidroth in the pecking order. Further down, Franklin Arias and Yoeilin Cespedes are in Single-A. Meanwhile, Mikey Romero had a breakout season, finishing in Double-A last year.
Finally, Gonzalez has nasty stuff. His breaking ball is filthy, and he can pump his fastball past hitters. However, the control and consistency have always been shaky at best. We've seen the best of Gonzalez and the worst of him. At this point, it feels like Gonzalez might be a reliever. There's nothing wrong with that, but it makes losing him hurt a lot less.
The Red Sox gave away a lot of farm system talent. They got an ace in return, though. One prospect is a pitcher coming off a disappointing season who they started using out of the bullpen or in starts with pitch limits by the end of the year. Another prospect is an infielder with no real path to Boston. The next is an outfielder who hasn't even appeared in a minor league game yet. Not to mention, the outfield is crowded. Finally, a catcher seen as the team's future at the position. So, that stings.
All four have the potential to be Major League players. Meidroth and Teel will likely contribute in 2025. Montgomery will be fun to watch, and Gonzalez is electric but uncontrollably wild. Hopefully, they all have long and successful MLB careers.
The Red Sox just got their ace, though. And, as of now, it was worth it.
Final Grade: A-