Here are the four players the Twins got Monday by trading Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners:
Get to know the four players the Twins got for Jorge Polanco
Two pitchers in their 30s and two young prospects were sent by Seattle for the former All-Star infielder.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
January 31, 2024 at 12:06AM
Anthony DeSclafani, pitcher
The 33-year-old righthanded starter was 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA in 18 starts for the San Francisco Giants last year, totaling 79 strikeouts and 20 walks in 99⅔ innings.
He’s in the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract; Seattle gave the Twins a reported $8 million in cash to help pay the $12 million he will make this year.
DeSclafani missed the final two months of last season because of a right elbow flexor strain.
The Blue Jays drafted DeSclafani in the sixth round out of the University of Florida in 2011. Toronto traded the 6-2, 195-pounder to Miami the following year, and he was the Marlins’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2013.
DeSclafani made his major league debut in 2014, but Miami traded him to Cincinnati during the offseason. He was hampered by injuries during his five seasons with the Reds but pitched in 112 games (110 starts) and was 35-37 with a 4.19 ERA.
He signed with San Francisco as a free agent before the 2021 season and in 55 games (54 starts) over three seasons was 17-17 with a 3.99 ERA.
The Giants sent him to Seattle on Jan. 5 as part of a package to acquire former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray.
Justin Topa, pitcher
A righthanded reliever, the 32-year-old had his best major league season in 2023 with a 2.61 ERA in 69 innings, with 61 strikeouts and 18 walks.
Originally taken by Pittsburgh in the 17th round in 2013 out of Long Island University (Brooklyn), Topa did not make his major league debut until late in the 2020 season with Milwaukee. Despite his age, he was still considered a rookie for most of last season.
Topa has pitched for 10 minor league teams. After the Pirates released him in 2017, he pitched in the Can-Am League before signing with Texas in 2018. He was signed by the Brewers in 2019.
The Mariners picked him up in a trade a year ago.
Gabriel Gonzalez, outfielder
A native of Venezuela, Gonzalez is a 20-year-old righthanded hitter.
The 5-10, 220-pounder has power and was ranked the Mariners’ No. 5 prospect by Baseball America.
Gonzalez was 17 when he started in the Seattle organization in 2021. In 237 minor league games, he hit .302 with 32 home runs and has reached high-Class A.
He batted .298 with 18 homers and 84 RBI in 116 games between two minor league levels in 2023.
Darren Bowen, pitcher
A 6-3 righthanded starter, Bowen was ranked the No. 25 prospect in the Mariners organization by Baseball America.
He was 4-2 with a 3.88 ERA for the Modesto Nuts in the Class A California League in 2023.
A 13th-round pick in 2022 out of UNC-Pembroke, Bowen is from tiny St. Pauls in Robeson County, N.C.
Twins shortstop Carlos Correa is arguably their best player and easily their most expensive one. He’s frequently injured and a payroll-strapped team is up for sale. It feels like the Twins can’t afford to keep Correa, but the same is true of losing him.
