Trade Made.... ?

[Trail]

Ok...before I get run off the forum &/or strung up by something important, hear me out.... ;)

There are numerous proposals out there involving Pena.  Made's market value is a lot higher.  However, early season health scare aside, Pena's performance has been comparable.  I'm not saying he'll be as good player in the bigs (I really don't know).  However... is Pena plus (insert name of high level trade target...Abrams for instance) worth more than Made?  You lose the best player in your system, but keep the second best player and you get a big bite at the apple for the next 2 years.  I'm using Abrams as an example only (not really sure about his fit), but in his case you get his bat for 2 years plus whatever trade value he has at the end of his contract.

I'm not sure its all that crazy, assuming the return is something truly special....and not a rental. 

Now...I'm ready to be pilloried.   :)

[endaround]

2 minutes ago, Trail said:

Ok...before I get run off the forum &/or strung up by something important, hear me out.... ;)

There are numerous proposals out there involving Pena.  Made's market value is a lot higher.  However, early season health scare aside, Pena's performance has been comparable.  I'm not saying he'll be as good player in the bigs (I really don't know).  However... is Pena plus (insert name of high level trade target...Abrams for instance) worth more than Made?  You lose the best player in your system, but keep the second best player and you get a big bite at the apple for the next 2 years.  I'm using Abrams as an example only (not really sure about his fit), but in his case you get his bat for 2 years plus whatever trade value he has at the end of his contract.

I'm not sure its all that crazy, assuming the return is something truly special....and not a rental. 

Now...I'm ready to be pilloried.   :)

1. Made is in AA, Pena is in A+. They are hitting similar but Made is doing it against much tougher competition. 

2. Pena+ Frias for example would be worth slighter more than Made but that is what that second piece would look like, someone really highly rated.

[Trail]

2 minutes ago, endaround said:

1. Made is in AA, Pena is in A+. They are hitting similar but Made is doing it against much tougher competition. 

2. Pena+ Frias for example would be worth slighter more than Made but that is what that second piece would look like, someone really highly rated.

Whenever they've been together, Pena's performance has been similar or even a bit better.  Made's hitting .270-ish in AA....I don't think anyone has any doubts about Pena hitting AA pitching.  The difference between the two, it seems, is that Made will ultimately be a better glove.  Pena is still in Appleton so he can continue playing short (there's no room in Biloxi for another infielder who MUST have innings), and possibly because of his early season issues.  

[Sugarrayray]

Pena’s ability to work walks and understand the strike zone is improving but in many ways has been below average. Made’s ability in understanding the strike zone is…..preternatural. Made also appears to be one of those once in a decade players who is literally equally good from both sides of the plate.
 

Add in the much better defense, and Pena’s CONSISTENT inability to take the field throughout his entire career so far, and it’s really not even close. For a number of reasons, talent aside, Made is so much closer to a “sure thing” than Pena. He’s also a half a year younger than Pena!

 

I understand what you are saying, but Made is the best prospect in the league, and is putting up historical numbers at his age so far. Throughout history you won’t find many switch hitting teenagers doing what he is able to do at AA right now, including a banner night tonight!

[MrTPlush]

I think people overrate top prospects a bit and get a little too attached to the potential. There are a lot of total busts in the Top 5 all the time, even the #1 guy can flop (Profar) or greatly never get anywhere near perennial AS level. Or it may take them years to put it all together (Buxton). 

There are people that probably wouldn’t trade Made for anyone. I’d trade Made for a lot of players, probably dozens of them. Basically any player that is controllable through 2029 minimum and has a few years of production and an All Star level season.

[Fear The Chorizo]

5 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

I think people overrate top prospects a bit and get a little too attached to the potential. There are a lot of total busts in the Top 5 all the time, even the #1 guy can flop (Profar) or greatly never get anywhere near perennial AS level. Or it may take them years to put it all together (Buxton). 

There are people that probably wouldn’t trade Made for anyone. I’d trade Made for a lot of players, probably dozens of them. Basically any player that is controllable through 2029 minimum and has a few years of production and an All Star level season.

Tend to agree with prospects being overvalued....but that simply isn't the case for Made.  You just cant give up on the potential ceiling for a 19 yr old, 5 tool player built like an NFL safety that can play IF, switch hits and is OPS-ing well over 0.800 in a pitcher-friendly AA league.

When you factor in contract cost, current career arc, and remaining team control, there are barely a handful of MLB players or other prospects I'd think of trading Made for in a 1 for 1 swap.  I would exclude basically all pitchers given their injury risk with that list, too.

Made may never realize that potential of being a perennial MVP candidate, but he's a good enough prospect for the Brewers to keep him around and find out for themselves.

[beekay414]

The only way I'd ever deal Made is for hypothetical deals that would never happen. Made is as untouchable (and should be) for us as Konnor Griffin or Kevin McGonigle are for the Pirates and Tigers. There's zero reason to trade someone his age with his potential for anything short of a massive, massive return.

[82brewcrew82]

On 7/28/2026 at 12:01 PM, Trail said:

Whenever they've been together, Pena's performance has been similar or even a bit better.  Made's hitting .270-ish in AA....I don't think anyone has any doubts about Pena hitting AA pitching.  The difference between the two, it seems, is that Made will ultimately be a better glove.  Pena is still in Appleton so he can continue playing short (there's no room in Biloxi for another infielder who MUST have innings), and possibly because of his early season issues.  

What has always had Made ahead of Pena is the batted ball data.  Back of baseball card stuff is one thing but dig deeper and Made is light years ahead of Pena and has been at every level.  There have been a lot of write ups about this over the last 18 months or so.  Made is just different in almost every way (including those outlined above).

[Trail]

4 hours ago, 82brewcrew82 said:

What has always had Made ahead of Pena is the batted ball data.  Back of baseball card stuff is one thing but dig deeper and Made is light years ahead of Pena and has been at every level.  There have been a lot of write ups about this over the last 18 months or so.  Made is just different in almost every way (including those outlined above).

I get it and agree.  I guess my point is to ask whether the haul we'd get for Made, plus still having Pena, is worth more than keeping Made plus whatever we'd get for Pena.  I might not be stating it very clearly.  I think when you've this deep a farm system, and at the same time this close to being a world series favorite, you need to at least consider it.  Brewers window is now.  The future looks very promising, but the team they have today is very good and is real.  

[82brewcrew82]

7 minutes ago, Trail said:

I get it and agree.  I guess my point is to ask whether the haul we'd get for Made, plus still having Pena, is worth more than keeping Made plus whatever we'd get for Pena.  I might not be stating it very clearly.  I think when you've this deep a farm system, and at the same time this close to being a world series favorite, you need to at least consider it.  Brewers window is now.  The future looks very promising, but the team they have today is very good and is real.  

No, you keep the potentially generational talent over the potentially very good talent.

[Trail]

14 hours ago, 82brewcrew82 said:

No, you keep the potentially generational talent over the potentially very good talent.

Remember that the rules are probably about to change.  We're probably looking at 4 years of control (4 1/2?) rather than 5 1/2.  I don't know how much that changes the calculation, but whatever the talent (generational or very good), we'll control them for less time...most likely.    

[owbc]

1 hour ago, Trail said:

Remember that the rules are probably about to change.  We're probably looking at 4 years of control (4 1/2?) rather than 5 1/2.  I don't know how much that changes the calculation, but whatever the talent (generational or very good), we'll control them for less time...most likely.    

We need to be careful what we wish for if that comes out of the CBA. A salary cap doesn't do anything for us without more revenue sharing. A salary floor would be bad for us. Losing a year of control would be devastating. 

Most of the current problem is caused by the Dodgers not having to share their local TV revenue. 
 

[cragi]

right, can you imagine the Dodgers and Yankees getting an extra, earlier year and also cheaper contracts from the proven young stars? It would just be another fake fix

[Mr Southpaw]

On 8/1/2026 at 1:53 PM, Fear The Chorizo said:

Tend to agree with prospects being overvalued....but that simply isn't the case for Made.  You just cant give up on the potential ceiling for a 19 yr old, 5 tool player built like an NFL safety that can play IF, switch hits and is OPS-ing well over 0.800 in a pitcher-friendly AA league.

When you factor in contract cost, current career arc, and remaining team control, there are barely a handful of MLB players or other prospects I'd think of trading Made for in a 1 for 1 swap.  I would exclude basically all pitchers given their injury risk with that list, too.

Made may never realize that potential of being a perennial MVP candidate, but he's a good enough prospect for the Brewers to keep him around and find out for themselves.

The first paragraph is spot on.  If you have ever seen him play, he is just physically light years ahead of the other players.  Strong, fast agile, there is nothing not to like.  Sign him this winter to ca contract a little more than Jackson C.

[sveumrules]

9 minutes ago, Mr Southpaw said:

The first paragraph is spot on.  If you have ever seen him play, he is just physically light years ahead of the other players.  Strong, fast agile, there is nothing not to like.  Sign him this winter to ca contract a little more than Jackson C.

At this point it's probably going to take something closer to McGonigle (8/$150M) or Griffin (9/$140M) money to extend Made.

Obviously you still do it if Jesus is amenable, but I'd imagine it will cost almost double the 8/$82M that Jackson signed for.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

4 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

At this point it's probably going to take something closer to McGonigle (8/$150M) or Griffin (9/$140M) money to extend Made.

Obviously you still do it if Jesus is amenable, but I'd imagine it will cost almost double the 8/$82M that Jackson signed for.

I totally agree, which is why we need to move now.  If pre-arbitration control is reduced in the CBA, it will continue to erode the value of the young player see in early extensions.

I also disagree that a salary floor would be a disadvantage to us.  Part of our current issue is our owners are extremely cheap.  I don’t believe in spending money for the sake of spending money, but there’s no way that the Brewers can say that they can’t afford a couple big contracts supplemented with our farm system consistently delivering players with potential.

[Mr Southpaw]

13 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

At this point it's probably going to take something closer to McGonigle (8/$150M) or Griffin (9/$140M) money to extend Made.

Obviously you still do it if Jesus is amenable, but I'd imagine it will cost almost double the 8/$82M that Jackson signed for.

8/$120 would be hard to pass up.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

Just now, Mr Southpaw said:

8/$120 would be hard to pass up.

I agree.  If we’re going to pay $10M for a part-time player like Vaughn next year, $15M per for a potential superstar and the best prospect in MLB should be a no-brainer.

both have risks for sure, but the only teams that can win with taking no risks are LA, PHI, NYY, NYM, BOS, etc

[TURBO]

1 hour ago, TwinsBrewersWorldSeries said:

I totally agree, which is why we need to move now.  If pre-arbitration control is reduced in the CBA, it will continue to erode the value of the young player see in early extensions.

I also disagree that a salary floor would be a disadvantage to us.  Part of our current issue is our owners are extremely cheap.  I don’t believe in spending money for the sake of spending money, but there’s no way that the Brewers can say that they can’t afford a couple big contracts supplemented with our farm system consistently delivering players with potential.