Cubs-Indians Trade: Carlton Smith And Abner Abreu To Cubs For Kosuke Fukudome

The Cleveland Indians, whose outfield has been decimated by injuries to Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore, traded for Kosuke Fukudome on Thursday. In exchange, they sent two ... young players. I know the headline reads "prospects," but that was just to get you in the door. You've been duped.

The two players are 25-year-old right-handed pitcher Carlton Smith, and 21-year-old right-handed outfielder Abner Abreu. According to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports, Smith is going to be a six-year minor-league free agent after the season if he isn't put on the 40-man roster. Here are his stats from Baseball Reference:

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
2005	19	Burlington	APPY	Rk	4.76	9	9	28.1	30	16	15	3	5	25
2006	20	Lake County	SALL	A	4.09	11	11	55.0	49	27	25	4	24	38
2007	21	Lake County	SALL	A	4.22	31	18	121.2	125	67	57	13	33	79
2008	22	Kinston	CARL	A+	4.37	26	26	146.1	143	91	71	12	33	81
2009	23	Akron	EL	AA	2.72	37	2	79.1	68	36	24	5	23	40
2010	24	2 Teams	2 Lgs	AAA-AA	5.40	46	0	58.1	72	39	35	7	23	38
2010	24	Akron	EL	AA	0.87	9	0	10.1	6	3	1	0	3	8
2010	24	Columbus	IL	AAA	6.38	37	0	48.0	66	36	34	7	20	30
2011	25	Columbus	IL	AAA	4.50	34	0	46.0	45	25	23	4	20	46
7 Seasons					4.21	194	66	535.0	532	301	250	48	161	347

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/28/2011.

It's hard to see him pitching well enough to make that 40-man, but the Cubs probably had interest in him as a free agent after the year, so a little preview over the next couple of months wasn't going to hurt.

Abner Abreu is the centerpiece of the deal, then. He still has youth on his side, and he shows some decent power and speed.

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2007	17	Indians	DOSL	FRk	56	228	69	13	7	4	41	5	4	18	46	.303	.353	.474	.827
2008	18	Indians	GULF	Rk	51	199	50	16	4	11	37	4	1	9	52	.251	.289	.538	.827
2009	19	Lake County	SALL	A	63	246	75	16	4	7	30	3	3	11	68	.305	.351	.488	.839
2010	20	Kinston	CARL	A+	106	409	103	21	6	4	58	11	2	20	130	.252	.289	.362	.651
2011	21	Kinston	CARL	A+	91	336	82	16	5	12	35	19	3	22	102	.244	.294	.429	.723
5 Seasons					367	1418	379	82	26	38	201	42	13	80	398	.267	.311	.442	.754

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/28/2011.

He's played 64 games in right field this year, but he also played 24 in center. Fukudome is a useful-enough player, so it fits that his return was one interesting-enough prospect.