A pair of former Tennessee baseball stars are on the move ahead of Thursday’s MLB trade deadline. The Mets are sending right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell, outfielder Drew Gilbert and relief pitcher Jose Butto to the San Fransisco Giants in return for top reliever Tyler Rogers, Jon Heyman first reported.
Gilbert and Tidwell were both currently with AAA Syracuse and are two of the Mets’ top prospect. Tidwell was the No. 10 prospect in New York’s farm system while Gilbert was the No. 10 prospect.
Tidwell made his MLB debut with the Mets this season, making four appearances and allowing 15 earned runs in 15 innings pitched. New York mostly called Tidwell up for spot starts and the right-handed pitcher struggled overall but did show growth in that time frame.
Despite getting four opportunities in the big leagues, Tidwell spent most of his season in AAA. The Loredo, Tennessee native posted a 6-4 record and 4.10 ERA in 79 innings pitched with the Syracuse Mets this season. Tidwell has spent his entire professional career with New York after the Mets drafted him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
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Gilbert has yet to make his MLB debut and has battled injuries each of the last two seasons. But the center fielder has had a nice 2025 season after getting healthy and is currently hitting .252 with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs. His average this season largely matches his career numbers but his power hitting is up this season, especially compared to last season.
Getting moved at the trade deadline is not a new occurrence for Gilbert. The Houston Astros selected Gilbert in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft and traded him to New York at the 2023 trade deadline in a blockbuster deal that sent Justin Verlander to Houston.
While the Mets are going all in on the 2025 season, the Giants are not in a full sell by any means. San Fransisco is currently 54-54 and four games out of the NL wild card. Ironically, the Mets swept the Giants last weekend in San Fransisco, pushing the Giants towards being sellers at the trade deadline.
