While the New York Mets may not want to classify it as a fire-sale or rebuild, they have now traded future Hall of Fame right-handed starter Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros for prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford. Verlander, 40, had a no-trade clause, and he had expressed interest in returning to the Houston where he won two World Series.

Verlander signed a two-year, $86.67 million contract with the Mets with a vesting $35 million option for 2025. The Mets are sending about $52.5 million to cover this year, 2024, and part of 2025 if the contract vests.

Per Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline, Gilbert and Clifford were going to be ranked as the Astros top two prospects when the midseason updated rankings were going to be released. Per Mike Mayer of MMN, Gilbert and Clifford will likely be considered top five prospects in the Mets organization.

Drew Gilbert, Photo by Angela Piazza of Caller-Times/USA Today

Welcome, Drew Gilbert!

Gilbert, 22, was the Astros 2022 first round draft pick (28th overall) out of the University of Tennessee. Gilbert is widely considered a top 100 prospect in the sport. While Baseball America has not ranked him in the top 100,  MLB Pipeline ranked him 96, Baseball Prospectus ranked him 36, and Fangraphs ranked him 49. Fangraphs notes Gilbert does a little bit of everything as a player:

Gilbert is performing more like a do-everything player with a balanced hit and power skill set, and he moves into the Top 100 with this update. He’s gotten stronger since signing (he was already yoked) and takes a mighty rip for a 5-foot-9 guy, and while Gilbert shows some hitterish characteristics, he is less of a bat control master than just a twitchy, short-levered player who is tough to beat because of how concise his swing is. His barrel is in the zone for a long time and he tends to find a way to put the ball in play, using his strength to spray balls past infielders.

In May, Baseball America pegged Gilbert as the center fielder of the future for the Astros. Current Astro Jose Altuve said of him, “I really love the way (he plays). Him and a few more guys on that team are ready to play in the big leagues. I can tell you that. If you want to see the future of the Astros, go there.”

Gilbert is a tough competitor who has the speed to play center, but the belief is he will be better suited to the corners in the long-term. He has not translated his speed to stolen bases quite yet.

This season, Gilbert has played 81 games between High-A and Double-A. He is hitting .274/.363/.458 with 19 doubles, one triple, 12 homers, and 38 RBI while being successful in 10/13 stolen base attempts.

While Gilbert was the higher ranked prospect, there are some who believe Clifford may be the better prospect in the long term. He has been a fast riser who was ranked 80 by Baseball Prospectus. The expectation is he will receive more consideration for top 100 rankings in the offseason.

How About Ryan Clifford?

Clifford, 20, was the Astros 2022 11th round pick out of Crossroads FLEX HS in Carcy, NC. While a lower round pick, the Astros had given him a $1,131,500 signing bonus (equivalent to a second round pick) to get him to forego a scholarship with Vanderbilt. He is seen as a bat first player with MLB Pipeline saying:

Clifford’s approach is more mature than that of most players his age, as he works counts and focuses on making hard contact. He has the bat speed and projectable strength to develop 20-25 home run power, and he does a good job of letting his power come naturally. He has a pretty left-handed swing and an efficient bat path, though his 30 percent strikeout rate in his introduction to pro ball showed he’ll need to do a better job of recognizing off-speed pitches.

This season, Clifford has played 83 games between Low-A and High-A. He is hitting .291/.399/.520 with 16 doubles, 18 homers, and 61 RBI. He has predominantly played first base with experience in both corner outfield spots.