Boardwalk Empire - 2035.21 - Camacho Traded

[Joshua Biddle]

Gamblers Trade Camacho to Montreal Blazers for Prospects

The Atlantic City Gamblers made a trade with division rival Montreal Blazers, shipping catcher Joaquin Camacho (8/7/4/4/9 Talents) to Montreal in exchange for prospects right-handed relief pitcher Lucio Gomez (10/6/7 Talents), right-handed starting pitcher Glenn Walker (6/6/8 Talents), and left-handed starting pitcher Hungary Denk (6/5/4 Talents).

Camacho, 27, was drafted with the 18th pick in the 1st round (18th overall) of the 2027 BBA Amateur Draft by the Atlantic City Gamblers organization. Camacho finished the 2034 season hitting .298/.332/.443 with 78 runs scored, 43 doubles, 1 triple, 11 home runs, 57 RBIs, 0 stolen bases in 1 attempt (0% success rate), and a 2.9 WAR in 540 at-bats. In 1,163 2/3 innings at catcher, Camacho recorded 16 errors (.986 fielding percentage), 10 double plays, an 8.99 range factor, a +1.3 zone rating, a 1.121 defensive efficiency, a .344 caught stealing percentage, and a 4.71 catcher’s ERA. For his BBA career, Camacho has hit .318/.354/.464 with 311 runs scored, 203 doubles, 7 triples, 47 home runs, 297 RBIs, 0 stolen bases in 1 attempt (.000 success rate), and a 18.4 WAR in 2,452 at-bats over five seasons with the Gamblers. Camacho displays good contact ability, above average gap power, below average power and plate discipline, and excellent strikeout avoidance. He has above average defensive abilities at catcher, but an average arm. Camacho was popular with the fans of Atlantic City, but the primary motivator for the move was clearly to cut his $6.5 million arbitration-determined salary from the books to allocate the savings elsewhere. The move leaves catcher Honorio Queixada (5/5/8/6/4 Talents) as the lone backstop on the Gamblers roster.

Gomez, 20, was drafted with the 26th pick in the 5th round of the 2031 BBA Amateur Draft by the Montreal Blazers organization. Gomez spent the 2034 season with the Class-A affiliate of the Montreal Blazers - the Dearborn Heights Knights - where he finished the season 5-1 with 1 save in 1 attempt (1.000 save percentage), a 4.75 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, a 4.32 FIP, a .299 OAVG, a .329 BABIP, a .211 IRS%, 1 hold, 70 strikeouts, and a 0.5 WAR in 94 2/3 innings pitched (48 appearances). In his career at the Class-A level across parts of three seasons with Class-A Dearborn Heights, Gomez is 16-3 with 10 saves in 11 opportunities (.909 save percentage), a 4.48 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, a 4.52 FIP, a .297 OAVG, a .316 BABIP, a .333 QS%, a .198 IRS%, 6 holds, 146 strikeouts, and a 1.5 WAR in 245 innings pitched (113 appearances, 3 starts). Gomez has a neutral groundball/flyball tendency, a sidearm arm slot, and velocity that peaks at 98-100 miles per hour. He has amazing stuff and above average movement, control, stamina, and ability to hold runners. He has a two-pitch arsenal, which includes a top-tier fastball and an above average slider. He is humble at his core, and scouts within the Gamblers organization, per internal sources, believe he could develop into a high leverage reliever.

Walker, 22, was drafted with the 26th pick in the 9th round (269th overall) of the 2030 BBA Amateur Draft by the Montreal Blazers organization. During the 2034 season, Walker played for the Class-AAA affiliate of the Montreal Blazers - the New Jersey River Rats - where he finished the season 6-12 with a 4.72 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP, a 4.41 FIP, a .279 OAVG, a .303 BABIP, a .480 QS%, 99 strikeouts, and a 2.2 WAR in 154 1/3 innings pitched (25 starts), in his first season at the Class-AAA level. Walker has a neutral groundball/flyball tendency, an over the top arm slot, velocity that peaks at 92-94 miles per hour, above average stamina, a good ability to hold baserunners, above average stuff and movement, and good control. He has a four-pitch repertoire consisting of an above average fastball, curveball, and slider, and an average sinker. The Gamblers will likely keep Walker at Class-AAA for the 2035 season, though it may depend on what the Gamblers do in free agency in regards to the rotation.

Denk, 21, was drafted with the 27th pick in the 3rd round (101st overall) of the 2030 BBA Amateur Draft by the Montreal Blazers organization. During the 2034 season, Denk played for the Class-AA affiliate of the Montreal Blazers - the Mississauga Spartans - where he finished the season 8-11 with a 4.68 ERA, a 1.57 WHIP, a 4.43 FIP, a .276 OAVG, a .312 BABIP, a .289 QS%, 151 strikeouts, and a 3.5 WAR in 207 2/3 innings pitched (38 starts). For his career at the Class-AA level across two seasons with Mississauga, Denk is 14-21 with 1 save in 2 opportunities (.500 save percentage), a 4.95 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, a 4.60 FIP, a .274 OAVG, a .307 BABIP, a .309 QS%, a .455 IRS%, 249 strikeouts, and a 4.7 WAR in 330 2/3 innings pitched (64 appearances, 55 starts). Denk has a groundball tendency, an over the top arm slot, velocity that peaks at 91 to 93 miles per hour, good stamina, a good ability to hold runners, above average stuff, average movement, and below average control. Denk has a three-pitch arsenal that consists of a solid fastball, and a good curveball and changeup. Denk looked to be a sure-fire BBA player when drafted, but his prognosis has been downgraded by scouts league-wide. He will likely make the roster for Class-AA Trenton.