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By Judd Zulgad |

Twins get two top prospects from Blue Jays in exchange for Jose Berrios

MLB: Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins
Jun 12, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) throws against the Houston Astros in the fourth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins traded righthander Jose Berrios on Friday morning for two top prospects in the Toronto Blue Jays’ farm system.

The Twins obtained shortstop/outfielder Austin Martin, who was the No. 2 prospect in the Toronto organization, according to MLB.com, and righthanded pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson, who was No. 4 on the same list.

The move came ahead of the MLB trade deadline at 3 p.m. Friday.

Here’s the information on the two newcomers from the Twins’ press release:

Martin, 22, has batted .281 (55-for-196) with 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 16 RBI, 43 runs scored, 37 walks, a .424 on-base percentage and an .807 OPS in 55 games for Double-A New Hampshire, in his first professional season. The DeLand, Florida native played for the American League at the 2021 All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field, going 1-for-1 with a walk and an RBI single, while being managed by Twins special assistant LaTroy Hawkins. Martin was selected by Toronto in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2020 MLB draft out of Vanderbilt University and participated in 2020 summer camp at Rogers Centre before spending the season at the club’s alternate training site in Rochester, N.Y. He was a crucial part of the Commodores’ 2019 College World Series Champion team, hitting .392 (105-for-268) with an NCAA-best 87 runs, 19 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 46 RBI, a .486 on-base percentage and a 1.091 OPS in 65 games for Vanderbilt that year and earning a spot on the College World Series all-tournament team at third base. Across three seasons at Vanderbilt, Martin hit .368/.474/.532 (200-for-543) with 39 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 76 RBI, 43 stolen bases, 85 walks, a .474 on-base percentage and a 1.007 OPS in 140 games. He is currently ranked as the second-best prospect in the Blue Jays system and the 16th-best prospect overall, per MLB.com.

Woods Richardson, 20, has compiled 67 strikeouts over 45.1 innings pitched this season for Double-A New Hampshire, going 2-4 with a 5.76 ERA (29 ER) in 11 starts. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound righthander was originally selected as a 17-year-old by the New York Mets in the second round of the 2018 draft out of Kempner (Sugar Land, TX) High School, before being acquired by Toronto along with lefthanded pitcher Anthony Kay in exchange for right-hander Marcus Stroman at the 2019 trade deadline. Ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Blue Jays’ system (and 68th overall) per MLB.com, he owns a career 4.06 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while fanning 11.6 batters per 9.0 innings, in 169.1 minor league innings over three seasons (219 K, 54 BB). The Sugar Land, Texas native was part of Toronto’s 60-man player pool last year and spent the 2020 MLB season at the club’s alternate training site in Rochester, N.Y. Woods Richardson is currently with Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics, where he is on the same staff as recently acquired Twins pitching prospect Joe Ryan.