Breaking Down Miami Marlins' Return in Blockbuster Jesús Luzardo Trade

Top prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd went from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Miami Marlinsin exchange for Jesús Luzardo and Paul McIntosh.

Apr 11, 2019; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A view of a New Era Miami Marlins hat in the dugout during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Miami Marlins dealt away another key piece on Sunday, sending starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo to the Philadelphia Phillies.

A minor league catcher also went to Philadelphia, while the Phillies sent back a pair of top prospects to get the deal across the finish line. Here is a full breakdown of who got what in the blockbuster trade:

Phillies Receive: LHP Jesús Luzardo, C Paul McIntosh (minors)
Marlins Receive: SS Starlyn Caba (PHI No. 4 prospect), OF Emaarion Boyd (PHI No. 23 prospect)

The Marlins have been busy on the trade market this year, starting with when they sent reigning batting champion Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in May. Over the next few months, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Trevor Rogers, Tanner Scott, A.J. Puk, Bryan Hoeing, Bryan De La Cruz, J. T. Chargois, Josh Bell, Jake Burger got shipped out of town as well.

And yet, Miami's farm system is still regarded as average compared to the rest of MLB, which is part of the reason why they were willing to move off of Luzardo as well.

Sending Luzardo to the Phillies may have cost the Marlins a 27-year-old with 52 starts over the past three years and two seasons of team control remaining, but it at least netted them a pair of young position players.

Caba, 19, was ranked No. 4 in Philadelphia's farm system. He has also been pegged as the No. 81 prospect in all of baseball, which makes him the third-highest ranked prospect in Miami's organization.

The Dominican-born shortstop has appeared in just 116 games as a professional thus far, batting .252 with a .702 OPS. He has already racked up 43 RBI and 66 stolen bases, though, all while drawing 95 walks compared to 65 strikeouts.

The switch-hitter is also a plus-defender, which cannot be said for the Marlins' current shortstop Xavier Edwards, who posted -8 defensive runs saved in 69 appearances in 2024.

Caba isn't expected to reach the majors until 2027, but he is a highly-regarded prospect nonetheless.

Boyd, meanwhile, does not carry nearly as much hype with him from Philadelphia to Miami. The 21-year-old speedster was ranked as the Phillies' No. 23 prospect, but he is not ranked inside the Marlins' top 30.

The outfielder has seen action in 198 games since being drafted in the 11th round in 2022. He is a .256 hitter with a .679 OPS in his minor league career, recording four home runs, 22 doubles, 10 triples, 78 RBI and 91 stolen bases.

Boyd's speed on the basepaths translates to the outfield as well, and he is expected to be a solid defender in both center and left moving forward. And while he hasn't ascended beyond High-A, Boyd is projected to make it to the majors at some point in 2026.

Follow Fastball On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.