Today the Chicago Cubs executed a pre-planned trade for minor league
pitcher Arismendy Mota, selected yesterday by the Washington Nationals
in the AAA phase of the Rule 5 draft. The Cubs sent “cash
considerations,” which is a euphemism for “we agreed that the Nats will
draft this kid for us, and then we will send over money as a thanks.”
Recall, this is how the Cincinnati Reds ended up with Josh Hamilton a
few years ago – the Cubs actually drafted Hamilton, but did so only as
a courtesy to the Reds.
Mota, 22, dominated in the Domincan Summer League, as you would expect
any remotely decent 22 year old to do in his fourth year repeating the
league. Thus, don’t expect a whole lot to come of this – if the kid
were a stud, obviously the Nats simply would have taken him for
themselves, given that, because this was the AAA phase, the Cubs don’t
even have to keep him on their 40-man (let alone 25-man) roster.
Still – it’s a Cubs trade! Catch the fever!