For the recently traded JD Davis, the apparent good news is that the New York Mets came asking for him. Sunday, the Mets received 3B/OF Davis and High-A infielder Cody Bohanek from the Houston Astros. In exchange, the Astros acquired three low minor leaguers that go straight up the middle: a catcher (Scott Manea), a second baseman (Luis Santana), and a center fielder (Ross Adolph).

Luis Santana

Of the three, only the 19-year-old Santana, at #24, is ranked among the Mets’ top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com. The 5’8″, 175-pound right-handed Dominican native is said to have a “very advanced approach at the plate.”

Santana had an accomplished 2018 at the Mets’ Appalachian rookie league Kingsport (TN) affiliate, where he slashed .348/.446/.471, with more walks (27) than strikeouts (23) over 242 plate appearances. He earned postseason Appalachian League All-Star honors.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50| Overall: 45

No doubt citing Houston’s Jose Altuve for one, MLB issues this report on Santana: “There have been enough players, especially middle infielders, who have overcome the ‘undersized’ label to have Major League success. That’s why it might be a mistake to overlook the 5-foot-8 Santana, who was having a huge United States debut in the Appalachian League after two summers in the Dominican Summer League.

“Two things stand out for the second baseman: his knack for contact and his high-energy play. His career has been brief, but he’s always hit, with a quick swing and very few strikeouts.

“He might never be a huge power guy, but he is capable of driving the ball with more strength than you’d expect, and he already is showing a very advanced approach at the plate and a willingness to draw walks. He’s an average runner who should be capable enough at second defensively.”

Santana debuted at #22 in the January 7, 2019 updated MLB Pipeline Astros’ Prospect list.

Look for Santana to start 2019 at Houston’s Class A Quad Cities River Bandits affiliate.

Ross Adolph

Adolph, 22, was drafted in the 12th round last summer by the Mets out of the University of Toledo (OH). He hit .276/.348/.509 with seven homers, a whopping dozen triples, and 14 steals (in 17 attempts) in 264 PAs for the Mets’ short season New York-Penn League Class A Brooklyn Cyclones.

Adolph opened at the #30 slot in the Astros’ updated MLB Prospect list.

Like Santana, a 2019 assignment for the left-handed hitting outfielder to Quad Cities appears to be his next step.

Scott Manea

The 23-year-old Manea was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 40th round of the 2014 draft out of St. John’s High School, Shrewsbury, MA, but didn’t sign. He transferred to St. Petersburg College in Florida after his freshman year at NC State, but wasn’t drafted after his sophomore year despite being eligible.

He was signed as an undrafted free agent in July, 2016 by New York.

With 2018 spent with New York’s full season Class A South Atlantic League Columbia Fireflies (where he was a mid-season All-Star), the 5’11”, 216-pounder has yet to ascend beyond A ball. For Columbia, last year, the right-handed backstop hit .261/.368/.432, with 23 doubles and 12 homers.

Despite that apparent slow growth, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports that Astros’ president Jeff Luhnow said Sunday that the team optimistically believes Manea “can move pretty quickly and has a chance to be a big league catcher.”

Given that, Luhnow may want to challenge Manea with a placement at the team’s new Advanced-A location, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in the Carolina League.