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Arizona Diamondbacks had to give up a lot for Gregorius' potential

Was the slick-fielding shortstop worth giving up right-handers Trevor Bauer, Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw?

By Riley Breckenridge

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Jonathan Daniel

The Arizona Diamondbacks believe in shortstop Didi Gregorius. So much so, that they were willing to part with a trio of right-handed pitching prospects -- including Trevor Bauer -- in order to get him.

Gregorius, known mostly for his outstanding defense, was ranked as the Reds' No. 5 prospect by MLB.com at the time of the trade. If there was a concern about the slick-fielding Neatherlands native, it was that he might not develop into anything more than a light-hitting shortstop or a utility infielder. Concerns aside, Gregorius was reportedly at or near the top of general manager Kevin Towers' offseason wish list.

With a scarcity of available shortstops over the next few years -- and Cliff Pennington and Chris Owings the most likely candidates to fill the position -- the Diamondbacks felt the time was right to trade from their surplus of young arms to snag a shortstop prospect with upside, even if it might cost them in the long run.