The only reason this would make sense is if the front office values him more due to being on outfielder. He would be the top outfield prospect on day 1, and we don't have anyone like him on the farm. Whereas we do have some talent at 3rd (not maitan talent....but if Riley puts up a solid season his name is going to creep up boards this year). I would hate to lose Gutierrez though. I think that the higher upside is the two guys for July.....but I would love to have a Bo Jackson clone roaming the outfield.
Just a stab in the dark here (and we all know this wouldn't be the first time I grabbed the wrong girl's breast when doing so), but...
My guess is that the decision has already been made to go after pitching in the June draft...with the 4th highest pool to spend from, we could very easily come out of it with at least three impact arms. Assuming that, you target high-ceiling arms with all 3 of the picks we have in the early rounds - even if you don't attempt to sign everyone you draft you use some of their draft slots to help pay the players you draft in the first 100 picks...
Pick #3 overall - A.J. Puk/Jason Groome/Alec Hanson/Riley Pint
Pick #40 - Kyle Funkhouser/injury or signing bonus demand concern that slides
Pick #44 - Robert Tyler/injury or signing bonus demand concern that slides
Adding Maitan, Gutierrez, and Lazarito would give you a 1st round IF/OF talent, a 1st round OF talent, and a 1st round C talent to three 1st round pitching talents.
The three Pitchers would provide you more flexibility to trade from the stockpile of arms you already have. The ETAs of the international position players would seem to REALLY fit "The Plan's" timeline since they'd be a little further behind...
Potential 2016/2017 Arrivals:
Banuelos, Folty, Newcomb, Blair, Jenkins, Sims, Ellis, Gant, Swanson, Albies, Ruiz, Smith
Potential 2018 Arrivals:
Allard, Fried, Toussaint, Puk, Funkhouser, Herbert, Riley, Davidson, Peterson
Potential 2019 Arrivals:
Soroka, Sanchez, Gutierrez, Juan Yepez, Maitan, Derian Cruz, Lazarito, Cristian Pache, Isranel Wilson, etc.
With Markakis under contract through 2018, Olivera under contract through 2020, and Inciarte under contract through 2021 there's really no need to draft an OF who can move fast (Corey Ray or Buddy Reed) since the best ones available are CFs. Use the early picks to continue piling the arms up to trade if/when needed. That's been "The Braves' Way" after all. If any of the younger OFs wind up accelerating their timetables, you can then entertain moving Inciarte for more arms. One of Riley or Maitan's going to wind up in the OF at some point.
Crazy Rainy Wednesday Trade Idea...after the draft and signing period, trade Sims or Jenkins (or one of the ones we draft) and a lower-level arm to Colorado for McMahon. Move Riley to LF, Maitan to CF, and Lazarito to RF...
2019 Braves
2B- Albies, SS- Swanson, 1B- Freeman, LF- Riley, CF- Maitan, 3B- McMahon, RF- Lazarito, C- Gutierrez, DH- Olivera
Bench: C- Herbert, 2B/SS/CF- Peterson/Cruz, RF/LF/1B- Davidson, 1B/3B/LF- Ruiz
Rotation: Teheran, Newcomb, Blair, Allard/Fried, Wisler/Folty/Toussaint/Soroka/who cares???