Today we take a look at a more recent deal in FCM. This deal made the top 5 in large part because it has become a trendsetter in the league for rebuilding teams and for teams looking for creative ways to get a large return in talent for a star player. In 2020 - the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox pulled off the biggest draft day deal in FCM history that would be the first of it's kind. An all-star ace dealt largely for draft picks - it would become a new avenue for rebuilders and retoolers alike to change the scope of their franchise.
In 2020, the draft was approaching and the Atlanta Braves saw their long rebuilding project slowly coming to fruition. What they felt they needed was a top of the line starter to mix with their developing talent. With Vlad Pulgarin, Pat Foxworth, Luis Gonzalez, Pete Kinslow, Ross Elless, and many other young studs on the way - they sought to cash in their draft class for a legit superstar. What added more intrigue was that their draft class consisted of having the top pick in each round of the 2020 draft.
The team they found to partner with was the Chicago White Sox. Coming off an 81-81 2019 the White Sox were building in the right direction. With Lloyd Vankirk, Pedro Baez, Alfredo Lopez, and Ryan Christner leading the way - the Sox felt they had pitching to spare if the right deal came along. What Atlanta offered was too good to pass up, especially with what Chicago intended to do with the first overall pick.
So, after all the picks were made, here was the deal: SP Stan Lomax, 1B Lamark Thomas, RP Corey Bretton, and OF Martin Greenwalt for OF Sid Icansio, SP Chorey Spoone, SP Jeff Trembath, 1B Dave Wallace, SP Nelson Gajou, C Angel Carriles, OF Donald McDowell, and OF Rob Cross.
A lot of these names should be recognizable and the drafting job by Chicago was amazing. We'll start, however, with the impact for Atlanta. Lomax pitched four full seasons for Atlanta. In that time he went 60-26 with an ERA of around 3 with 810 Ks and 257 walks. He was an all-star for three of his four seasons in Atlanta and helped lead the team from 54 wins to 75 to 105 to 92. He lead a resurgence in Atlanta but one that was not able to get past the first round of the playoffs. Considering the heavy price tag it's hard to argue that Lomax' contributions were worth it. He eventually was dealt to Cincy in 2024, but the deal that moved him was largely for busted specs that did nothing to further the baffling rebuild of the Braves. Overall, it would have to be said that Lomax had a largely negative impact on the Atlanta franchise.
He didn't come alone in the deal. Lamark Thomas was a total bust and never saw the big leagues, but Martin Greenwalt developed into an excellent hitter after moving to Atlanta. In his rookie hear he posted a .910 OPS with 12 home runs and 52 RBI. He was eventually dealt to Pittsburgh in the Atlanta rebuild, again for players that had little impact on the franchise. Corey Bretton has gone on to appear in 333 games in FCM mostly as a middle reliever. He too was dealt shortly after the Atlanta rebuild started and had little impact in leaving.
All that said - Atlanta did land a true Ace, a very solid OF, and a reliable reliever. Not a bad haul - but it pales in comparison to the haul that Chicago took from the deal. The two established players that they received in the deal were the least impactful. Sid Icansio looked like a legit leadoff hitter and a future stud for the organization - he had a deadly combo of elite defense, power, and speed. However, in June of 2021 he tore his rotator cuff and was never the same again. He managed to put up a few good partial seasons but the promising career was over. In 2023 he moved on to Texas for Ervin Coggeshell and Yoshi Tsyuru - two minimally impactful players.
Choyne Spoone started 18 games for Chicago and retired the following year - the real haul was the draft. At number 1 the White Sox took SP Jeff Trembath. A dominant high school left-hander - Trembath was a controversial pick. Some loved him and some hated him - but in the end the White Sox were right - he has developed into a true ace in FCM. Trembath climbed the minors quickly, taking only one full season in the minors before he started with the the big club right from the start of the 2022 season. He went on to start 169 games with the White Sox going 73-52 with an ERA largely under 4 despite pitching in one of the worst home parks in the league for pitchers. His 1200 strikeouts with the White Sox and consistent injury-free performances made him a reliable lock in their rotation year after year. It could be said that this pick alone made up for moving Lomax. Trembath was moved later for draft picks, just as he had been acquired, when he was moved to the Giants. The impact of that deal is still to be seen.
The later picks were equally profitable for Chicago. The second pick - Dave Wallace - has bounced around most of his career. Before he played for Chicago he was dealt to Atlanta agian for Ed Edwards. Wallace has gone on to hit 71 home runs but is seen more as a complementary piece than a major player for anyone. Edwards had two big seasons for the White Sox before he became a FA. So as a trade chip for Chicago, Wallace had good value. The third pick, Nelson Gajou, flashed a lot of promise early on. The promise didn't pan out, however, as he went from looking like a future member of the White Sox rotation to only being able to record 23 starts in the big leagues with very poor results. The White Sox had a lot of confidence in Gajou that ultimately he failed to live up to.
Fourth pick Angel Carriles quickly became one of FCM's best catching prospects. He was dealt two seasons later as part of a package for a big league catching star: Josh Jarmel and first baseman Nick Filbee. Carriles has had a mediocre career, but Jarmel and Filbee both were significant pieces of a run that the White Sox had for several seasons. Fifth rounder Donald McDowell became a world champ with Toronto and has developed into a solid big league CF now with the Angels. He was with the White Sox for one year before being included in a large deal for RP Roy Beeman. Sixth rounder Rob Cross showed a lot promise but was also moved shortly after with his career fizzling compared to the potential it had.
A huge haul that impacted two franchises for years to come. It was also a trendsetter for the league for the value of both a star pitcher but also for draft picks. The value of the draft was never more on display than with the excellent work Chicago did taking that deal and maximizing it.
Next Up: FCM's 3rd Most Impactful Trade: "A Steal, a Death, and an Uproar"
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