MLB mock trade: How much would Diamondbacks give up to add Griffin Conine?

[Kevin Barral]

Outfielder Griffin Conine will always have a home in South Florida, where he was born and raised and where his father serves as a special assistant to Miami Marlins owner Bruce Sherman. However, he is among many potential trade candidates for the Marlins over the next week. The team enters Monday at 52-54, needing to jump over five other National League wild-card contenders to get back into postseason position. In order to maximize their chances of winning in 2027 and beyond, they may have to be sellers at this deadline.

It's also a bit too soon for the Arizona Diamondbacks to decide on their deadline approach, but they have been trending in the opposite direction as winners of 10 of their last 14 games. Adding outfield depth around All-Star Corbin Carroll would give them a great chance of returning to October for the first time since 2023.

 

Mock trade proposal

Diamondbacks receive: OF Griffin Conine
Marlins receive: 3B/1B LuJames Groover and RHP Anderson Cardenas  

Conine has been limited to 39 games this season due to a hamstring injury. When healthy, he has played the best baseball of his career, slashing .260/.353/.510/.863 with seven home runs, 16 RBI and a 135 wRC+. 

The 29-year-old is best utilized in the corner outfield spots and also can contribute at first base in emergencies. Defensive metrics are split on his glovework—for his career, Conine has plus-four defensive runs saved and minus-two outs above average.

With that being said, there is reason to believe Conine may be expendable to the Marlins. His spot on the Opening Day roster was in doubt until last-minute injuries to Kyle Stowers and Esteury Ruiz. He has been in the lineup consistently against right-handed pitchers since returning from the IL, but fellow lefty corner outfielder Owen Caissie is nearing a return from his own injury. Caissie is five years younger than Conine.

It's also worth noting that 16 of the 20 position players on Miami's 40-man roster have been acquired by president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. Conine is one of the few holdovers inherited from the previous front office.

Even with Carroll, the Diamondbacks rank 24th among MLB teams in outfield wRC+ (91). Conine would specifically serve as an upgrade over struggling veteran Max Kepler (66 wRC+ in 21 games). Very importantly, Conine is not yet eligible for arbitration and would be under club control through the 2030 season.

Going back to Miami in this proposal would be LuJames Groover, the fifth-ranked Dbacks prospect, per Baseball America. Groover, a 24-year-old infielder, was a 2025 Futures Game selection. He reached the big leagues this season, but struggled in 15 games. In Triple-A, where he has played 70 games, he is slashing .327/.418/.487/.905 with six home runs, 51 RBI and a 119 wRC+.

Groover could be a key piece of the Marlins offense moving forward as they have lacked right-handed production at first base and third base.

Along with Groover, the Marlins acquire right-handed pitcher Anderson Cardenas in the trade. In 52 ⅔ innings this season between the complex league and Low-A, he has a 3.25 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 11.96 K/9 and 4.27 BB/9. Cardenas will likely wind up as a full-time reliever moving forward in his career.

Although it would disappoint fans to move on from a second-generation Marlin who has succeeded in his limited MLB reps, this is a good opportunity to balance the club's offense and sell high on Conine before strikeout issues potentially catch up to him.

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[1993 fan from start]

every one should go . how I FEEL about this trade..