Fansided

10 best prospects moved at the MLB Trade Deadline

By Nathaniel Reeves

Aug 2, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Daniel Norris (44) pitches during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 2, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Daniel Norris (44) pitches during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 15, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves logo painted on the field during a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves 10-5. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Atlanta Braves logo painted on the field during a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves 10-5. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Hector Olivera, 3B, Atlanta Braves

Olivera is a difficult “prospect” to place in this ranking. He could probably come up right now and be better than any prospect moved at the deadline, and many believe he could already play at an All-Star level with all of 74 plate appearances in the minor leagues.

At the same time, he isn’t your typical prospect at 30 years old with a $62.5 million deal. Olivera made perfect sense for a team like the Dodgers. Why the Braves, who are at the start of a lengthy rebuild, traded for him remains a mystery.

Still, Olivera has the tools to play at a very high level whenever he is called up, which should be sometime this season. Los Angeles was willing to pay such a high sum of money for Olviera based on his athleticism, bat speed and advanced hitting approach.

At 6-2, 220 pounds, Olivera has some plus raw power. There isn’t enough minor league data to draw any conclusions about Olivera yet, but he hit for a high average and posted good plate discipline numbers during his brief stint in the minors before going down with a hamstring injury.

While signing international players always has risk, Olivera is expected to make an instant impact on a major league lineup. The biggest concern at this point is his injury history, which continued almost immediately upon coming to the U.S. There’s also the question of if the Braves will be good enough to compete by the time Olivera hits inevitable age-related decline.

Next: MLB All-Time 25-man roster

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