The New York Yankees announced they have traded closer to Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Clint Frazier, left-handed pitcher Justus Sheffield and right-handed pitchers Ben Heller and J.P. Feyereisen.
Miller, 31, was 6-1 with nine saves and a 1.39 ERA (45.1IP, 28H, 7ER, 7BB, 77K, 5HR) with the Yankees in 2016. Among Major League relievers this season, he is second in strikeouts (77), strikeouts per batter faced (.448K/1BF) and fourth in K/9.0IP ratio (15.29). In 2015, he was named the “Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year” after going 3-2 with 36 saves (in 38 chances) and a 2.04 ERA (61.2IP, 33H, 14ER, 20BB, 100K) in 60 relief appearances. He posted an AL-best 14.59 K/9.0IP ratio, the second-best mark among Major League relievers, and ranked third among relief pitchers in strikeouts. The Gainesville, Fla., native was signed by the Yankees as a free agent to a four-year contract on December 5, 2014, extending through the 2018 season. In his Major League career, he has pitched for the Tigers (2007), Marlins (2008-10), Red Sox (2011-14), Orioles (2014) and Yankees (2015-16).
Frazier, 21, was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) by Cleveland in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft from Loganville High School in Loganville, Ga., after being named the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year. In midseason rankings this year, he was the consensus top prospect in the Indians organization, having been listed as baseball’s 21st-best prospect by Baseball America, 24th-best prospect by MLB.com and 34th-best prospect by ESPN. He entered the season ranked 27th by MLB.com, 44th by Baseball America and 72nd by ESPN.
In 94 combined minor league games in 2016 at Double-A Akron (89G) and Triple-A Columbus (5G), the 6-foot, 1-inch, 190 lb. outfielder batted .273 (99-for-362) with 58R, 25 doubles, 2 triples, 13HR, 48RBI, 13SB, a .350 on-base percentage and an .811 OPS. He was named to the Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star Game and appeared in the 2016 Futures Game in San Diego, going 2-for-3 with a single, double and a run scored. On July 25, he was promoted to Triple-A.
A right-handed hitter and thrower, Frazier played for Single-A Lynchburg in 2015 and was named a Carolina League Postseason All-Star, posting a .285 (143-for-501) batting average with 88R, 36 doubles, 3 triples, 16HR, 72RBI, 68BB, 15SB, a .377 on-base percentage and a .842 OPS. He led the CL in hits, doubles and total bases (233), while ranking second in runs and third in RBI. He was also named both the Carolina League Player of the Month and Indians Minor League Player of the Month in July.
Over his four minor league seasons, Frazier owns a .278 (419-for-1,509) batting average with 248R, 90 doubles, 16 triples, 47HR, 198RBI, 43SB, a .360 on-base percentage and an .812 OPS in 391 games.
Sheffield, 20, was 7-5 with a 3.59 ERA (95.1IP, 91H, 38ER, 40BB, 93K, 6HR) in 19 starts for Single-A Lynchburg in 2016, having been named to this year’s Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star Team. In midseason rankings, he was tabbed by Baseball America as the 69th-best prospect in baseball and the fifth-best prospect in the Indians organization. Prior to the season, Baseball America rated him with the “Best Slider” in the organization.
Born and raised in Tullahoma, Tenn., he was originally selected by Cleveland in the first round (31st overall) of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. Like Frazier, he was also named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.
In 2015 with Single-A Lake County, Sheffield posted a 9-4 mark with a 3.31 ERA (127.2IP, 135H, 47ER, 38BB, 138K, 8HR) in 26 starts. His strikeouts ranked second in the Midwest League and he was named to the ML Mid-Season All-Star team. Over three minor league seasons, he owns a 19-10 record with a 3.55 ERA (243.2IP, 250H, 96ER, 87BB, 260K, 14HR) in 53 games (including 49 starts).
Heller, 24, is 3-2 with 12 saves in 13 chances and a 1.73 ERA (41.2IP, 23H, 8ER, 12BB, 48K, 2HR) in 43 relief appearances this season at Triple-A Columbus (28G) and Double-A Akron (15G), holding batters to a combined .159 batting average with a 0.84 WHIP. He began the season ranked by Baseball America as having the “Best Fastball” in the Indians organization.
The 6-foot, 3-inch, 205 lb., Wisconsin native was drafted by Cleveland in the 22nd round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.). In 150 games (including one start) over four minor league seasons, Heller has a 9-8 record with 31saves and a 2.77 ERA (172.1IP, 53ER, 69BB, 6HR), having allowed just 122H while recording 226K with a .193 opponents batting average.
Feyereisen, 23, was 4-3 with a 2.23 ERA and five saves (40.1IP, 30H, 10ER, 20BB, 56K, 3HR, .205 opp BA) in 33 relief appearances for Double-A Akron this season, and was named to the 2016 Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star team.
The Wisconsin native was originally drafted in the 16th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. At the time, he was the top Division III prospect as rated by Baseball America.
Over three minor league seasons, the 6-foot, 2-inch, 215lb. pitcher has an 8-4 record with 21 saves in 23 chances and a 1.80 ERA (105.0IP, 69H, 21ER, 37BB, 136K, 5HR), having allowed a .184 opponents batting average.