The Prospect Cards from the Rafael Devers Trade
In this story:
The calendar had not hit July but over a week ago MLB had its first blockbuster trade when Rafael Devers was sent from the Red Sox to the Giants in a five player deal. The trade came completely out of nowhere and was shocking to Red Sox fans (like myself) in particular and MLB fans in general. In return for Devers the Red Sox acquired Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs III, and Jose Bello. This article will focus on the hobby impact of prospect returns for the Red Sox, specifically James Tibbs III.
James Tibbs III was drafted thirteen overall out of Florida State in the 2024 MLB Draft. Interestingly, Tibbs was taken one spot after the Red Sox drafted Branden Montgomery and was widely considered to be a target of the Red Sox prior to Montgomery falling to their spot. Tibbs was also one of the first round picks that was included in Bowman Draft 2024. As a baseball player, Tibbs calling card is his bat. He was considered one of the most advanced hitters in the 2024 Draft. Thus far that has continued in the minor league level, as he’s shown a strong batting eye and the ability to make hard contact.
Tibbs also has the potential to tap into above average raw power and is projected to hit 25-30 home runs in the future. If there is a concern about Tibbs it would be his position. Currently, he’s projected to be an average to below average corner outfielder with an average arm. He also spent some time at first base in college but ever with that versatility, he still falls into the “more pressure on his bat” category of prospects. After the trade, the Red Sox assigned Tibbs to AA Portland where he is off to a strong start slashing .308/.387/.423.
From a hobby perspective, Tibbs moving from the Giants to the Red Sox should be a net neutral in terms of team prestige as both the Giants and Red Sox remain popular amongst fans. Interestingly, Tibbs’ Bowman first autos experienced a very slight bump in sales per 130Point. This is not totally unexpected due to the fact that while Tibbs is playing well, he has not cracked the top 100 prospect ranking lists. However, due to that previously mentioned strong start in AA, Tibbs has a chance to make those lists by the end of the year which would enhance his hobby market. Lastly, due to his advanced bat, Tibbs is expected to be a fast riser through the minors, projecting to finish the season in AAA or possibly the big leagues.
While that seems like more of a stretch, Tibbs' ability to play first and the Red Sox need there could create circumstances that would allow that to happen. Although that requires a fair amount of projection, it does allow for Tibbs cards to be a nice buy low option with a potential for a nice reward down the road for savey collectors.
