In American Association Daily, Robert Pannier examines the deal that sent American Association batting champion Alay Lago to the Cleburne Railroaders. The Sioux Falls Canaries receive three players in return, including infielder Ryan Brett, OF KC Huth, and LHP Eudis Idr0go.

Cleburne Railroaders Acquire Alay Lago

In a move that should have Sioux City Explorers Manager Steve Montgomery and Kansas City T-Bones skipper Joe Calfapietra reaching for the Tums, the Cleburne Railroaders sent OF K.C. Huth, infielder Ryan Brett and left-handed pitcher Eudis Idrogo to the Sioux City Explorers for infielder Alay Lago.

Lago is coming off an MVP caliber season, where he led the American Association in hitting, while setting career marks in a number of categories.

How the Trade Effects the Railroaders

It is never easy to lose three players, but Lago is a rare talent. He not only is an outstanding second baseman, but he is coming off a season where he led the league in hitting (.339) while drilling 13 homers and knocking in 57. He doubled 30 times, stole 14 bases, and was named as an All-Star by the league.

Lago is durable, appearing in 92 games last season, and he is a five-tool player. He can steal bases, is smart on the basepaths, and gets on base, finishing sixth in the league in OBP at .393.

Lago gives Manager Brent Clevlen a lot of versatility. He can hit almost anywhere in the lineup. Should Daniel Robertson remain with the team, the top of this batting order is going to be extremely formidable. Both Robertson and Lago are on-base machines, as Robertson tied Lago in average at .339 while posting a .444 on-base percentage in a Railroaders uniform. Lago has the greater speed. Both handle the bat well, allowing Clevlen to do a lot of things with either one at the plate.

The biggest factor in this deal is that Lago’s numbers should still be solid, even if he is not hitting in hitter friendly Sioux Falls. The infielder hit .284 on the road and still had six homers and 27 RBI in 50 games.

How the Trade Effects Sioux Falls

While Lago will be a huge bat in the Railroaders lineup, the Canaries got three players who should have a huge impact for them. It starts with Ryan Brett who does more than bring a solid bat. He hit .252 in 86 games after joining Cleburne, scoring 54 runs, homering 10 times and adding 33 RBI. The Canaries struggled after losing catcher Adrian Nieto last season, and a lot of it had to do with Nieto’s influence in the locker room. Brett should be the kind of guy who can help this team settle down during trying times.

K.C. Huth is one of the best defensive outfielders in the American Association. After struggling early on, Huth put together a solid season, hitting .276 in 83 games. He worked himself into the everyday lineup and is another player who can help his team in many ways, including stealing bases or moving runners along.

Where Manager Mike Meyer has to be thrilled is the addition of Eudis Idrogo. He finished 9-5 with a 4.46 ERA in 21 starts, tossing 113.0 innings. However, on the road he was one of the best pitchers in the league last season, going 7-1 with a 2.81 ERA in 11 starts. That includes going 1-0 with a 3.08 ERA at the Bird Cage (4 ER in 11.2 Innings Pitched). If he can continue that kind of success in Sioux Falls, he immediately jumps to the top of this rotation and helps to make the Canaries a serious threat in the South Division.

By Robert Pannier