The Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals completed a trade for infielder Mark Canha late this spring. Canha has performed well for the Kansas City Royals early this season despite missing 10 games with adductor strain. He is 7-for-18 so far this season in limited action, and that production includes two doubles.
A move for Canha was a bit of a shot in the dark in itself. Canha was a non-roster invite to Milwaukee spring training, but was unlikely to make the roster. Because of this, the Brewers dealt Canha to the Royals in exchange for whatever they could get. In MLB, trades are (at times) completed for nothing in the moment. The return can be decided later via a PTBNL, or players to be named later. The PTBNL can also, in certain cases, become cash considerations. Yes, MLB is fun that way!
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Mark Canha trade is complete, but did Royals or Brewers win the deal?
The Canha trade did not make headlines at the time, but the way he is performing for Kansas City so far this season suggests an early victory for the Royals. In return, the Brewers received a PTBNL, which has now been revealed as 19-year-old right-hander Cesar Espinal. Espinal doesn't have much experience under his belt and has spent most of his career so far in the Dominican Summer League.
Per MLB Trade Rumors, he's totaled just 73 innings with a 3.95 ERA, with a 22.7 percent strikeout rate and 13.7 percent walk rate. Espinal isn't rated as a top-30 prospect just yet, making this a true lottery ticket acquisition for Milwaukee. As previously mentioned, it was a way for the Brewers to ensure they didn't lose Canha for nothing. Canha could have opted out of his Brewers contract had he not made the initial MLB roster, which was the likeliest outcome when Milwaukee general manager Matt Arnold traded him.
While Espinal is intriguing as a prospect given his age and production so far, he is also far from a guarantee. The Royals instead acquired a sure thing in Canha – a player they know has produced at an MLB level. Espinal is just 19 years old and could prove us wrong in the end. Again, it's a better result for Milwaukee than receiving nothing at all.