If the Braves could pull an Adam Eaton like haul for Inciarte, do you do the deal and what might it look like?
Eaton has three years at the ML level and posted almost identical seasons in 2015 & 2016 with an OPS of .790 (all time in a very good hitters park). He'll play next year at 28. He's signed for 5 more years (two options) for about $38.5M. He finished 19th for AL MVP in 2016. He played most of 2016 as a RF and finished with a dWAR of 1.8 (his dWAR in CF for 2014 was 1.8 but in 2015 fell to -1.1)
Inciarte has two plus years at the ML level and posted about a .740 OPS over the last couple of years (one in a good hitters park, the other neutral). He'll play next year at 26. He's entering arbitration as a super two and is under control through 2020. He finished 5 in ROY and just won the GG. Inciarte had a dWAR of 2.6 in 2015 and 1.7 in 2016 playing almost exclusively CF.
Eaton is older but has one more year of control. He probably is the better offensive player (but league and park effects make it closer) but isn't in the same league as Inciarte defensively. He has cost certainty but isn't necessarily cheaper than Inciarte depending on how the arby process goes. Eaton is in his physical prime at 28 while Inciarte is still two years away and probably projects with a bit more upside.
All in all, I would have to say the value is pretty even.
This came to mind when I read a MLBTR headline that the Rockies would want an "Eaton like trade" for Charlie Blackmon who has only 2 years of control left and has spent his career hitting in Denver.
Given the presence of Mallex, I think the Braves should maximize Ender's return IF they can get anywhere near what the Chisox got for Eaton.
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