Marlins deal Burger to Rangers for 3 prospects (source)

6:58 AM UTC

DALLAS -- The Marlins dealt corner infielder to the Rangers for three players late Tuesday night, sources told MLB.com. The club did not confirm the report.

Heading to Miami in the trade are Texas' No. 17 prospect Echedry Vargas, former top international prospect Max Acosta and lefty Brayan Mendoza.

TRADE DETAILS
Marlins get: INF Echedry Vargas, INF Max Acosta, LHP Brayan Mendoza
Rangers get: 1B/3B Jake Burger

Vargas, who turns 20 in February, slashed .276/.321/.454 with 24 doubles, two triples and 48 RBIs in 97 games at the Single-A level in 2024. According to MLB Pipeline's scouting report, the right-handed hitter uses a big leg kick and aggressive hacks to hit the ball much harder than expected from a 5-foot-11, 170-pounder, giving him 20-homer upside.

Despite average-to-solid speed, Vargas has good instincts and is aggressive on the bases. While he recorded 29 steals, he was caught nine times. Vargas spent the majority of his time at shortstop (86 games), where he committed 27 errors, followed by second base (10 games) in 2024.

The Rangers added Acosta to their 40-man roster last month ahead of the deadline to protect prospects from Wednesday's Rule 5 Draft after slashing .288/.353/.425/ with a .778 OPS with 23 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 58 RBIs over 104 games for Double-A Frisco. The recently turned 22-year-old also raked in the Arizona Fall League, earning an AFL Fall Stars Game nod for his .934 OPS. When Texas signed him out of Caracas, Venezuela, he was considered one of the best all-around players in the 2019 international class and ranked No. 17 overall.

Acosta started 65 games at shortstop, 36 at second base and two at designated hitter for Double-A Frisco in 2024.

Mendoza, from Isla de Margarita, Venezuela, turns 21 on Jan. 19. After posting a 2.18 ERA across 90 2/3 innings in 22 games (17 starts) at Single-A, he made two starts at High-A before season's end (3.48 ERA).

In Burger, Miami parts with a pre-arbitration middle-of-the-order bat who will enter his age-29 season. Not only did he finish one homer shy of 30 dingers for the second consecutive campaign but he also had become a leader in the clubhouse.

Acquired from the White Sox ahead of the 2023 Trade Deadline for prospect Jake Eder, Burger turned into a vital part of the Marlins’ surprise postseason berth. He will reunite with former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker and bench coach Luis Urueta in Texas.

With Burger gone, controllable corner-infield options on Miami’s 40-man roster include Jonah Bride, who broke out with an .818 OPS in 71 games, Connor Norby (.760 OPS after Trevor Rogers trade), No. 4 prospect Deyvison De Los Santos (Minor League home run champion) and No. 23 prospect Graham Pauley (Tanner Scott/Bryan Hoeing trade). No. 30 prospect Nathan Martorella (Luis Arraez trade) also is in the pipeline.