Checking in on the player the Mets traded for Brooks Raley

The New York Mets front office has failed to leverage the better returns on trades it has made in recent years. Endy Rodriguez was recently called up to the big leagues by the Pittsburgh Pirates, a former Mets prospect who is currently one of the best in MLB, according to MLB Pipeline, for which the Mets gave up for the services of Joey Lucchesi.

However, this past offseason, Billy Epplers made a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays that has paid dividends for the team. The Mets gave Keyshawn Askew, a left-handed prospect from their farm system, for one of the best left-handed relievers in MLB, Brooks Raley.

Mets GM Billy Eppler got a rare win for this trade

Brooks Raley's efficiency and dominance on the mound have been evident for the Mets, being one of the forces in a depleted bullpen. Since 2002, Raley has remained one of MLB's best relievers thanks to his sweeper's ERA that induces batting below .180 and Whiff% above 30%.

Instead, Keyshawn Askew has regressed slightly since joining the Tampa Bay Rays. In his first two years of professional baseball, Askew honed his ability to induce a considerable number of swings and misses while limiting contact with his opponents.

In 2023, Askew continues to show the ability to retire by way of the strikeout, achieving a K/9 of around 12.00. However, his dominance is not the same. His opponents' contact via hits has increased by more than one percentage point while his BB/9 and HR/9 continue to rise.

Keyshawn Gerrod Askew is only in his third year of pro ball and still hasn't passed A+. Askew can continue to adjust his delivery to improve his results, but he projects more of a middle reliever, a lefty specialist in the future.

The Mets were able to leverage the acquisition of an efficient, dominant, and controllable reliever without having to sacrifice much. The odds of this trade lean in favor of the Mets, and in the worst-case scenario, this trade could be a win-win trade for both organizations.