Prospect Dodgers Surrendered in Jack Flaherty Trade Looks Like the Real Deal

Thayron Liranzo has been incredible for the Detroit Tigers’ Single-A affiliate West Michigan Whitecaps since he was acquired in the trade that brought starting pitcher Jack Flaherty to Los Angeles.

The former Los Angeles Dodgers prospect has a 1.031 OPS in his first 26 games since the trade.

The 21-year-old didn’t expect to be traded at the deadline and was shocked when answered a phone call informing him the Detroit Tigers acquired him and Triple-A shortstop Trey Sweeney in a buzzer-beater trade with the Dodgers in exchange for Flaherty.

“I was a little surprised,” Liranzo told the Detroit Free Press, interpreted by Whitecaps hitting coach Francisco Contreras. “It was a little shocking at the beginning, but my mind changed quickly. I went inside and was like, ‘Well, I’ve been traded to the Tigers.’ Being here, my mentality is still the same because I’m working for the same goal.”

Liranzo is a switch-hitting catcher who can also play first base. All the Tigers care about is how well he is hitting.

“He is a switch-hitting catcher who, as the kids say, nukes balls,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. “He has a ton of quality contact, really can drive the ball from both sides of the plate. He also has a mature approach at the plate. I think our fans are going to see that he’s very disciplined at the plate, but when he gets his pitch that he believes he can do damage on, he absolutely unleashes his A-swing and nukes balls.”

Growing up, Liranzo was a third baseman. The move to catcher was Fernando Tatis Sr.’s idea. Initially, he didn’t want to make the change but sees why it was a good move for him now. A year after he attended Tatis’ academy, the Dodgers signed him in the international signing period. He was just 16 at the time.

“They were looking at players to bring into their academy,” said Liranzo, who hasn’t played first base since joining the Tigers’ organization, as relayed by the Free Press. “They saw me, they liked me, and they brought me to Fernando Tatis’ academy, and that’s when they converted me to catcher.”

Off the field, the trade was a smooth transition for Liranzo since the High-A teams of the Dodgers and Tigers are just 105 miles apart. He packed up in Midland, made the drive across Michigan, and unpacked in Comstock Park.

He immediately became Detroit’s No. 6 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

“There’s a lot of development and growth left with him,” Harris said, “but he has all the attributes to be a frontline catcher for us, and it’s an area in which we felt like we needed to add more talent, and we’re thrilled to do it with a guy that can help us on both sides of the ball.”

Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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