The Los Angeles Angels made a huge trade to receive quite possibly the best defensive shortstop in the MLB. They made a deal with the Atlanta Braves earlier today which involved Andrelton Simmons, who is only 26 years old and under contract until 2020.
Following from Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.
“We are extremely excited to acquire an impact shortstop and one that fits our championship standards,” said Angels GM Billy Eppler. “Andrelton provides us an up-the-middle foundation at a premium position for years to come. To know we have a player with Andrelton’s talents, drive and competitiveness at such a young age signed through 2020 is a vital step in adding to our core group.”
In exchange, the Braves will receive veteran shortstop Erick Aybar along with the Angels’ top two prospects, lefty Sean Newcomb and righty Chris Ellis. The Angels will also send $2.5 million to the Braves, which evens out the 2016 salaries for Simmons and Aybar. Catcher Jose Briceno, the Braves’ No. 25 prospect, is also going to the Angels in the deal.
The trade, which was first reported by MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, was confirmed by the clubs Thursday night.
While Simmons had less than stellar splits last season at the plate, batting .252/.301/.346, he was named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday and complied a Major League-best 94 Defensive Runs Saved last season
Aybar won a Gold Glove Award in 2011, made the All-Star team in 2014 and has batted .278/.318/.383 while playing an average of 144 games over the last seven seasons for the Angels. LAA dealt Aybar is a free agent at the end of the 2016 season and they wanted long-term stability at the shortstop position.
Gonzalez also reports the following on the two pitching prospects the Braves received in the deal.
Newcomb, the 19th-ranked prospect in baseball by MLB.com, could factor into a Major League rotation by the middle of next season. A 6-foot-5 left-hander who was selected 15th overall in the 2014 Draft, Newcomb jumped three levels in his first full season in the Angels’ system. The 22-year-old finished with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP, walking five batters and striking out 11.1 batters per nine innings for both Class A levels and Double-A Arkansas.
Ellis, not among MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects, was a third-round pick in 2014 and could also join a Major League rotation at some point next season. The 23-year-old had a 3.90 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 140 2/3 innings in Class A Advanced Inland Empire and Arkansas, walking four batters and striking out 8.4 per nine innings.
