Jon Heyman reported Monday via Twitter that before the Braves traded Jason Heyward to the Cardinals in November 2014, they discussed trading him to the Yankees.
In fact, according to Heyman, the Braves offered a package to the Yankees that included Heyward and Andrelton Simmons more than a year before Simmons was traded to the Angels.
In the proposed deal that Heyman mentioned, the Braves would have traded Heyward, Simmons, Melvin Upton, David Carpenter and Chris Johnson. In return, the Braves would have received a pretty good group of young prospects: pitchers Luis Severino, Manny Banuelos and Ian Clarkin, outfielder Aaron Judge and catcher Gary Sanchez.
Heyman reported that the Yankees wouldn’t pull the trigger on the trade.
The Braves later traded Carpenter and Chasen Shreve for Banuelos.
If the Braves had made the reported trade with the Yankees, they may never have acquired Tyrell Jenkins, Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte or Aaron Blair.
They also would not have traded Johnson to Cleveland for Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher.
If they had not traded Craig Kimbrel to the Padres on April 5, 2015 to unload Upton, they may never have acquired Matt Wisler or Cameron Maybin.
Last season with the Yankees, Severino was 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 11 starts and 62 1/3 innings. Opposing batters hit .229.
Sanchez ranked 36th in Baseball America's top 100 in February, with Judge 76th. In the MLB.com ranking, Judge was 31st and Sanchez 59th.
Swanson ranked 17th on the Baseball America list and eighth on MLB’s. Blair was ranked 60th by Baseball America and 56th by MLB.
