The Arizona Diamondbacks are shaking things up, sending infielder Blaze Alexander to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for right-hander Kade Strowd and a pair of intriguing minor-league prospects, Wellington Aracena and José Mejía.
Let’s start with Alexander. The 26-year-old showed flashes of promise in his first full season with the D-backs, putting up a .706 OPS and driving in 28 runs over 74 games.
While those numbers don’t jump off the page, Alexander’s real value lies in his versatility. He’s logged time at six different positions across his two big-league seasons and has four defensive runs saved to his name - a testament to his glove and adaptability.
For a team like Baltimore that values depth and defensive flexibility, he could be a useful piece, especially if he finds another gear at the plate.
On the flip side, Arizona gets a live arm in Kade Strowd. The 28-year-old righty made his MLB debut just last season and made the most of it.
In 26 1/3 innings for the Orioles, Strowd posted a sharp 1.71 ERA and struck out 24 batters. That’s the kind of production that catches front offices' attention.
He’s not a household name yet, but he’s shown he can get big-league hitters out - and do it efficiently. For a D-backs bullpen that’s looking to solidify its core, Strowd could be a plug-and-play option with upside.
But Arizona didn’t stop there - they also picked up two young prospects who bring some long-term intrigue.
Wellington Aracena, just 21 years old, split time between the Orioles and Mets minor-league systems last season. The right-hander flashed serious potential, posting a 2.25 ERA and an impressive 11.2 K/9 across two levels. He was ranked as the No. 26 prospect in Baltimore’s system before the trade, and while he’s still a ways from the majors, his strikeout rate and command are tools worth watching.
Then there’s José Mejía, a 20-year-old Dominican infielder who turned heads in the low minors last season with an .821 OPS. He’s still raw, but the bat is showing early signs of life, and if he continues to develop, the D-backs may have landed a sneaky-good piece for the future.
This deal feels like a classic case of both teams addressing different needs. Baltimore adds a flexible, big-league-ready utility man in Alexander, while Arizona gets a controllable reliever and two prospects who could bolster their farm depth. It’s not the kind of blockbuster that dominates headlines, but these are the moves that quietly shape rosters - and sometimes pay major dividends down the line.