For the second time in two months, the Philadelphia Phillies have struck a deal with eyes on the future. In April, Dave Dombroski sent disappointing former top prospect Griff McGarry to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for international bonus pool money.
Now, the executive is back with a similar deal, sending Double-A reliever Andrew Baker to the Colorado Rockies for some more international bonus money.
These additional funds didn't sit idle for long. The Phillies had their eyes on a specific prize all along, and have come away with what they coveted, signing 17-year-old Korean pitcher Chan-min Park for $1.205 million.
According to Star News Korea, the Baker trade was necessary for the Phillies to fend off rivals for the intriguing teenage arm, with the New York Yankees mentioned specifically as a competing suitor.
Phillies trades of stalled prospects like Andrew Baker paving way for new additions
Baker has electric stuff and might have shimmied his way into a big league call-up in 2026, though his future outlook is much more questionable now than it was a few years ago. The right-hander arrived in Reading back in 2022, but command issues have left him stuck in the mud there since. Ironically, this was the year he seemed to finally put that behind him, dropping his walk rate to a career-best 7.1%.
Baker and McGarry, the latter of whom had also been selected in December's Rule 5 Draft and subsequently returned by the Washington Nationals, had seen most of their prospect luster wear off. Their chances of making a true impact in the majors had become even slimmer than they were years ago.
Park is raw, of course, but according to Joe Doyle of Over-Slot Baseball, the youngster has a mature frame at six-foot-three, 205 pounds, and is already throwing 94 miles per hour. His arsenal also includes a slider, curveball, and splitter, with the breaking pitches being noted for their high spin rates.
It's something of a masterstroke to see spare parts like Baker and McGarry swapped out for a prospect that is loaded with potential. It's also fantastic to see these deals being made with a specific purpose and then Dombroski acting quickly with conviction.
Park might not amount to anything. In fact, a decade from now, he could be the next Baker, moving on after disappointing. But as of today, he's a high-ceiling prospect, and one that the Phillies were able to acquire at a surprisingly minimal cost.
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