The Delmon young trade tree: one trade for 10 years of success
Okay. So let’s talk about one of the wildest long-term trade trees in baseball — and honestly, it all starts with a guy people barely even mention anymore: Delmon Young.
Delmon Young was the No. 1 overall pick in 2003, hyped like crazy. He had the tools, the swing, the ceiling — you name it. And then, just like that, the Rays shipped him out after one full season in the bigs. But here’s the kicker: that trade ended up building the entire core of the Rays’ playoff teams a decade later. I’m serious. This thing stretched from 2007 all the way to Tyler Glasnow and Shane Baz.
Let me break this thing down like a backyard Wiffle Ball diagram.
The Trade That Started It All
November 28, 2007 – Rays and Twins make a blockbuster deal.
Rays send:
OF Delmon Young
INF Brendan Harris
OF Jason Pridie
Twins send:
RHP Matt Garza
SS Jason Bartlett
RHP Eduardo Morlan
At the time, people were like, “Wait, you’re giving up your No. 1 pick already?” But Tampa knew something. They always do. And this trade immediately paid off.
2008: Let The Rays Cook
Suddenly, the Rays go from bottom-feeders to World Series contenders.
Garza was nails in the postseason. ALCS MVP, big-time starts.
Bartlett was the glue of that ‘08 infield
Delmon? Had a solid year in Minnesota… but nothing game-breaking.
Already, Tampa looked like the winners. But they didn’t stop there.
Garza Gets Flipped Too
A few years later, Rays do what they do best: flip at peak value.
2011 — Garza goes to the Cubs. Tampa gets:
Chris Archer
Hak-Ju Lee
Robinson Chirinos
Brandon Guyer
Sam Fuld
And just like that, the tree keeps growing.
Chris Archer ends up being an All-Star, fan favorite, and the face of the rotation for a bit. But it gets better.
Archer Gets Flipped Too (This is Where It Gets Crazy)
Fast forward to 2018, deadline day. The Rays ship Archer to the Pirates in a move that, in hindsight, feels like robbery.
To Tampa:
RHP Tyler Glasnow
OF Austin Meadows
RHP Shane Baz
Yeah. That’s three key dudes for one declining starter.
Let’s break it down:
Glasnow: Electric. When healthy, one of the nastiest arms in the league.
Meadows: All-Star. 33 bombs in 2019.
Baz: Former first-rounder. Nasty stuff. Future ace vibes.
And remember — all of this is still Delmon Young trade tree residue. That’s wild.
Meanwhile… Back in Minnesota
So what did the Twins end up with?
Delmon had one really solid year in 2010. Drove in 112 runs, hit .298, looked like he might finally be that guy.
Then… he got traded again. To the Tigers. For basically nothing:
Cole Nelson (never made the bigs)
Lester Oliveros (pitched 8 innings for Minnesota)
That’s it. That’s the return.
Meanwhile, Tampa is running out a roster built on the bones of this deal.
Let’s Do a Quick Recap — What the Rays Got from One Delmon Young Trade:
Player | Acquired From | Impact
------------------|------------------|------------------------------------
Matt Garza - Original trade - ALCS MVP, key to 2008 World Series run
Jason Bartlett - Original trade - Core SS, team MVP, stabilizing defense
Chris Archer - Traded for Garza - All-Star, longtime rotation anchor
Tyler Glasnow - Traded for Archer - Elite strikeout machine, ace potential
Austin Meadows - Traded for Archer - 30+ HR season, All-Star talent
Shane Baz - Traded for Archer - Top-tier prospect, future ace upside
Johnny Deluca - Traded for Glasgow/Margot - Versatile Outfielder with range
Ryan Pepiot- Traded for Glasnow/Margot- Young starter with nasty stuff
This is some “chess not checkers” type stuff.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to forget names like Delmon Young, especially when their peak didn’t last long. But that one trade? That thing had ripple effects for over a decade.
The Rays front office saw a window, trusted their process, and built out a dynasty tree from a player most people forgot about.
And THAT is how you turn a hyped-up No. 1 pick into a multi-era playoff run.