FLUSHING, N.Y., July 30, 2023 – The New York Mets today announced that the club has acquired minor league infielder Luisangel (loo-EES AHN-hel) Acuña from the Texas Rangers in exchange for RHP Max Scherzer and cash considerations. Acuña will be optioned to Double-A Binghamton.
Acuña, 21, was the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Rangers' farm system and is the 44th-best prospect in the majors overall according to MLB Pipeline. In 84 games with Double-A Frisco this season, he is slashing .315/.377/.453 with 25 doubles, two triples, 51 RBI, 68 runs scored and 42 stolen bases. Entering play today, the Venezuela native led the Texas League in stolen bases (42) and runs (68), ranked second in hits (114), was tied for second in doubles (25) and ranked fourth in batting average (.315). He has tallied 40 or more stolen bases in each of the last three seasons. He is one of six players in all of Minor League Baseball to have at least 40 steals and an OPS of .800 or higher this season.
The 2021 Rangers Minor League Defender of the Year is the son of former Mets farmhand Ronald Acuña Sr. and the younger brother of Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. He was originally signed by the Rangers as a non-drafted minor league free agent on July 2, 2018.
The right-handed hitter has appeared in 337 career minor league games, batting .294/.374/.431 with 67 doubles, 10 triples, 32 home runs, 201 RBI and an .805 OPS. He has stolen 143 bases in 174 attempts, giving him an 82% success rate. He was an All-Star in the Arizona Fall League in 2022, a Low-A East All-Star in 2021 and a member of the Dominican Summer League All-Star team in 2019.
Scherzer, 39, made 42 starts for the Mets over the last two seasons, going 20-9 with a 3.02 ERA (85 ER/253.0 IP) with 294 strikeouts. The three-time Cy Young Award winner earned his 200th career victory, a win that clinched the Mets first playoff berth since 2016, last September 19 at Milwaukee.
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