Is this outfielder worth trading the Phillies’ #1 prospect?

What will the Philadelphia Phillies do when the lockout ends?

Will they sign a big free agent (at least one, hopefully), make a blockbuster trade, or stick to low-level signings?

Ahead of the MLB lockout, John Stolnis was one of many media members to propose a trade involving a Phillies’ top prospect. Their top prospect, to be specific.

Bryan Reynolds is coming off a phenomenal season in which he hit .302/.390/.522 with a .912 OPS over 159 games. The 26-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star outfielder finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, and 11th in NL MVP voting in 2021.

Reynolds has spent time at all three outfield positions and has a lifetime .989 fielding percentage. The Phillies are currently looking for a new centerfielder and left-fielder, after buying out Odúbel Herrera and Andrew McCutchen‘s contracts rather than picking up their costly options.

Should the Phillies trade top prospect Mick Abel for big-league talent?

The Phillies drafted Mick Abel in the first round of the 2020 June Draft, and the 20-year-old righty is already the top prospect in their system. In his first professional season, Abel posted a 4.43 ERA over 14 starts in his first professional season with Low-A Clearwater.

Abel and Bryson Stott are the Phillies’ only two prospects in MLB’s Top 100, ranked 64th and 97th, respectively. However, Stott is expected to debut as early as Opening Day 2022, while Abel’s ETA isn’t until 2024.

Trading prospects for proven big-league talent is the kind of move that enabled Phillies POBO Dave Dombrowski to construct the 2018 Boston Red Sox championship team. He traded hefty bundles of prospects to the San Diego Padres for closer Craig Kimbrel, and to the Chicago White Sox for Chris Sale.

However, the Phillies don’t have the bumper crop on their farm that the Sox had when Dombrowski pulled off those coups. Abel is one of the Phillies only and most promising prospects. Risking long-term success for short-term success is the tightrope the Phillies will have to walk when the lockout ends.