Acosta, 18, was the sixth-ranked prospect in the Padres organization. He was the No. 19 prospect in the 2020-21 international class. The Padres signed him for $1.8 million on Jan. 15, 2021.
According to the MLB.com scouting report, Acosta is a switch hitter with “an impressive set of tools. The teenager has quick hands and is an aggressive hitter with a swing-first mentality. As a result of the aggression, he handles fastballs better than off-speed pitches, though that’s not all that uncommon in young hitters. He doesn’t hit for a ton of power yet, but still has time to grow into his 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame and the Padres feel he’ll tack on a bit more power as he develops.”
The Drury trade came soon after the Reds dealt starting pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Minnesota Twins for three of the franchise’s top-25 prospects: infielder Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand and left-handed pitcher Steven Hajjar.
Drury and Mahle joined starting pitcher Luis Castillo, pitcher Phillip Diehl and outfielders Tommy Pham and Tyler Naquin on the list of players traded since Thursday.
The Padres (58-46), who rank second in the wild-card race, made an even bigger splash earlier in the day, acquiring outfielder Juan Soto and first baseman Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals.
About the Author
