Marlins get RHP Gusto, prospects from Astros for Sánchez

MIAMI -- The Marlins dealt outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Astros for right-hander Ryan Gusto and prospects Chase Jaworsky and Esmil Valencia ahead of Thursday’s Trade Deadline.

TRADE DETAILS
Marlins get: RHP Ryan Gusto, INF Chase Jaworsky (Houston's No. 13 prospect), OF Esmil Valencia
Astros get: OF Jesús Sánchez

It marked the second trade of the week by Miami, which moved catcher Nick Fortes to Tampa Bay for Double-A outfielder Matthew Etzel on Tuesday.

With the Sánchez transaction, the Marlins added three players to the organization and opened a spot on the active roster for a blossoming prospect.

Gusto, a 26-year-old rookie, had posted a 4.92 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP with 9.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 rates in 24 games (14 starts) for the Astros this season. Miami optioned him to Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday.

“[We] think he's an above-average Major League starting pitcher right now,” president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said. “He's a little older, but we think there's actually a lot more meat on the bone with him. There's things that we think he can get better at. Can never have too much pitching.”

Jaworsky, a 21-year-old middle infielder, ranked as Houston’s No. 13 prospect and joins Miami’s system at No. 15 per MLB Pipeline. A fifth-round selection in the 2023 Draft, the left-handed-hitting Jaworsky had a slash line of .242/.353/.359 with 15 extra-base hits and 24 steals in 57 games at High-A.

According to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, Jaworsky has good bat-to-ball skills but needs to improve his selectivity while continuing to gain strength. His top tool is his plus speed (60 grade on the 20-80 scale).

Jaworsky has played more shortstop than second base in 2025, with the Astros’ organization believing his quick release and internal clock make up for his average arm. Some scouts, however, think Jaworsky will wind up at second or in center field.

Valencia is a 19-year-old outfielder from Nizaro, Dominican Republic. After progressing past Rookie-level ball from 2023-24, the right-handed-hitting Valencia is slashing .263/.325/.357 with 16 extra-base hits in 83 games at Single-A. He was not ranked among Houston’s Top 30 prospects.

“The other two players we got, Chase Jaworsky and Esmil Valencia, stop me if you've heard this before: They're young, they're fast, they're athletic, they do a lot of things well,” Bendix said. “You need as many of those guys as possible.”

Like the Fortes trade, which freed up playing time for rookie catchers Agustín Ramírez and Liam Hicks to develop behind the dish, this one paved the way for No. 10 prospect Jakob Marsee’s first Major League callup. At Triple-A Jacksonville, the center fielder had an .817 OPS and an International League-high 47 steals.

Marsee, who was not on the 40-man roster, had his contract selected from the Jumbo Shrimp and took over Sánchez’s spot. The Sánchez trade could also mean more at-bats for rookie Heriberto Hernandez (.868 OPS in 38 games).

“Jacob will play all over in the outfield,” manager Clayton McCullough said Friday. “He will play a lot of center field. Dane [Myers] has played a lot of center field as well.

“[Marsee] will get a majority of starts in there vs. [righties]. Today, he is in there vs. [a lefty], making his Major League debut. [We're] excited about that. And then I think how the roster is configured, and what I think would give us the best chance some other days vs. [lefties], we could see some different guys out there. But today, [we're] excited for Jacob to make his debut here in loanDepot [park].”

Sánchez, who was the longest-tenured position player on the ballclub, slashed ​​.243/.310/.426 with a 98 OPS+ in 532 games across parts of six seasons from 2020-25. He was a member of both postseason teams during that span.

In 2025, ​​Sánchez had a 104 OPS+ and 1.0 WAR per Baseball Reference in 86 games, most recently knocking his 10th homer of the season in the Marlins’ victory over the Cardinals on Wednesday night in St. Louis.

The 27-year-old Dominican possesses prodigious power, crushing the farthest-hit homer (a Statcast-projected 480 feet) in the Majors last season, but he has never gone deep more than 18 times in a campaign.

Sánchez is making $4.5 million in 2025 and was under club control through ’27. The Marlins won’t have to wait long to see Sánchez again, as the Astros visit Miami for a three-game series beginning Monday.