Peter O’Brien’s Development at Catcher Helping Diamondbacks Avoid Trade

When prospect Peter O'Brien was traded from the New York Yankees in exchange for Arizona Diamondbacks utilityman Martin Prado, the biggest knock on the slugging catcher was that he wasn't very good defensively.

But the Arizona Diamondbacks and general manager Dave Stewart are seeing things differently nowadays, as they claim O'Brien's development behind the plate was the biggest thing of note from the 24-year-old in the Arizona Fall League.

The D-Backs are putting some major stock in O'Brien, who Stewart admits is allowing the team to avoid making a costly trade for a catcher this offseason, per Nick Piecoro of AZCentral.com:

"I've decided that I'm not going to pursue another catcher," Stewart said. "I talked with my people and my coaching staff. They believe that O'Brien is going to be around sooner than later. If that does happen, there's no need to go out and get another guy.

"We would have had to trade somebody we didn't want to trade to make it happen. We're going to be patient and allow the progression of O'Brien to take place and stand pat on that."

The Diamondbacks liked what they saw from him defensively in the Arizona Fall League, and in recent days he began working with coaches at Salt River Fields.

The D-Backs acquired O'Brien during the 2014 season when the Yankees came calling looking for Martin Prado. Of course, Prado is now no longer part of the Yanks' plans after he was dealt to the Miami Marlins for starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi.

On the flip side of that deal with New York, the Diamondbacks appear ready to get their money's worth with O'Brien. It remains to be seen just how effective he ends up being behind the plate, but Stewart sounds confident in his young catcher.

At the time, the Yanks looked wise in trading what seemed to be a one-dimensional prospect, but if O'Brien pans out on both sides of the diamond, the trade for Prado becomes more painful—especially since he had such a short trip in the Bronx.

Not a good move when you consider the youth movement happening in the Bronx right now. At least Yanks GM Brian Cashman turned Prado into another young player who can help in Eovaldi.


(sportsmedia101.com)