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Detroit Tigers complete Justin Wilson trade with Chicago Cubs

By Ben Rosener

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 9: Jeimer Candelario #46 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring a run in the ninth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 9, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 9: Jeimer Candelario #46 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring a run in the ninth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 9, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Tigers
PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 08: Jeimer Candelario #46 of the Detroit Tigers singles to right field in the sixth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 8, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

Detroit’s side of the deal

In return for the duo, the Tigers received Candelario, Paredes and the recently-announced cash.

Candelario made his presence known down the stretch for the Tigers, all but solidifying his role as the team’s third baseman for the better part of the next decade.

The 24-year-old hit .330 with a .406 on-base percentage, a .468 slugging percentage, a 137 wRC+ and a .379.

He also posted  a .138 ISO to go along with 16 runs scored, 13 RBI and a pair of home runs in 106 plate appearances.

Some of his production was likely aided by a .392 BABIP, but the switch hitter did show promising plate discipline with an 11.3% walk rate, while also distributing the ball to all fields.

Overall, his fWAR in a Detroit Tigers uniform finished at 0.6.

Heading into 2018, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Candelario either hit second ahead of Cabrera and Nicholas Castellanos, or behind the slugging duo as Detroit’s fifth hitter.

Isaac Paredes

Elsewhere, the Tigers brought in Paredes, who looks like a key piece of the team’s future.

MLB.com’s MLB Pipeline wrote the following about the 18-year-old in their profile of the prospect:

"“Paredes has more pop than the other teenaged infield prospects he just left in the Cubs system, Aramis Ademan and Carlos Sepulveda, but is less likely to stay up the middle long term. He has enough loft and bat speed from the right side of the plate to develop into a 15-homer threat. He also has a good feel for hitting, already showing the ability to control the strike zone and use the whole field.”"

Paredes recently spent 2017 in the Midwest League against significantly older— by 3.2 years on average—competition.

He hit 11 home runs to go along with a .725 OPS, 70 RBI, 28 doubles and a pair of stolen bases.

Hindsight is obviously 20-20, but the trade was a definite win for the Detroit Tigers.

The team essentially traded a season and a half of Wilson and half a season of Alex Avila for six years each of Candelario and Paredes.

Those six years of controllability  each of Candelario and Paredes could increase in the future if either ever signs a contract extension with the Tigers.

Next: Tigers prospects added to the roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft ranked by likeliness to crack 2018 Opening Day roster

Either way, Detroit came away the obvious winner.

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