Guardians Complete Will Benson Trade With Reds

The Cleveland Guardians traded away one of their higher-ranked prospects in early February. They sent Will Benson to their in-state rivals, Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Justin Boyd and a player to be named later.

Well, that player has finally been revealed.

The #Guardians completed a trade with the #Reds. These are the details: pic.twitter.com/hCzHf85qGa
— Cleveland Guardians On SI (@GuardiansOnSI) February 9, 2023

The Guardians and Reds finished the trade with Cleveland acquiring left-handed pitcher Steve Hajjar.

Hajjar was the Minnesota Twins' second-round pick in 2021 and was sent to Reds as part of the Tyler Mahle deal during the 2022 trade deadline. He has a pro-career ERA of 3.61 in 15 starts. If there's one thing this prospect knows how to do, it's strikeout batters.

In the 52.1 innings, he's pitched, he's struck out 83 batters, and walked just 32 hitters. That brings Hajjar's SO/9 to 14.3. If the Guardians can help develop Hajjar like they've been able to do with numerous pitchers before him, then they could be looking at a real diamond in the rough.

Twins 2021 2nd rounder out of Michigan Steve Hajjar went 4.1 IP allowing 2 BB, HBP & an unearned run, while striking out 10. Mixed four-seam(90-93), sinker(90-94), CB(77-80), SL(81-84), CHG(82-85); generated 20 whiffs on the night including 12 against his four-seam. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/h6hcs8QBXn
— Geoff Pontes (@GeoffPontesBA) April 21, 2022

#Guardians 22yr old LHP prospect Steven Hajjar is the player to be named later in the Will Benson trade with the Reds. Hajjar in his pro-debut struckout 83 batters posting a 14.27 SO/9 rate, 38.4% SO% and a 3.05 FIP over 52.1 innings last year over three levels. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/ohGD9ELDTo
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) March 26, 2023

The only real concern is that this is over a short time frame. Hajjar was limited to just those 15 starts because of shoulder inflammation that's landed him on the IL more than once.

Hajjar will appear at Cleveland's Minor League camp shortly.

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