Cardinals Acquire Outfielder Austin Dean From Marlins
By Karl Rasmussen
The St. Louis Cardinals have announced a trade, though it isn't the coveted Nolan Arenado deal fans had been anticipating. Instead, the Redbirds have struck a deal with the Marlins.
Austin Dean has been dealt to St. Louis in exchange for minor-league outfielder Diowill Burgos.
We have acquired right-handed hitting OF Austin Dean from Miami in exchange for minor league OF Diowill Burgos.
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) January 14, 2020
Dean, 26, was named the Marlins Minor League Player of the Year in 2018. He will be added to our 40-man roster, which now stands at 39 players. pic.twitter.com/Sq6CAGxT0B
Dean featured in 64 games for the Marlins last year, slashing .225/.261/.404 with six homers and 21 RBI.
The 26-year-old is perhaps best known for this act, however, in which he threw a baseball into the crowd and knocked the top can off of a beer pyramid with mind-bending precision.
#Cardinals fans, this is what you’re getting in outfielder Austin Dean. pic.twitter.com/Aqy17IALjN
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) January 14, 2020
Dean was never the most highly-touted prospect, though he was the No. 30 ranked player in Miami's farm system for the 2018 season. A former fourth-round draft pick back in 2012, Dean ascended slowly through the minor league ranks, finally cracking the majors for a stint in 2018.
Last year at Triple-A across 73 games, Dean slashed .337/.401/.635 with 18 homers and 57 RBI. The power is clearly there, he just needs to be able to figure out how to get on base at the next level.