Atlanta Braves GM John Coppolella has made a name for himself over the last two seasons by trading veteran players on hot streaks for prospects to fuel the team’s farm system. Today continued that trend. The Braves struck a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that shipped out veteran starting pitcher Bud Norris, packaged with international prospect Dian Toscano, in exchange for two young pitchers in Phil Pfeifer and Caleb Dirks.
Bud Norris Traded to Dodgers for Prospects
Norris, 31, is the centerpiece of this trade, as he has had an exceptional month of June. However, he had an abysmal April, during which he posted an ERA over 9.00 and was pulled out of the starting rotation and sent to the bullpen. After his move into a relief role, he was able to make adjustments and only gave up four earned runs in 16.1 innings pitched in May.
His relief appearances were effective enough to warrant a return to the starting rotation in June. Since losing his starting spot, he has posted a 2.08 ERA. Since being reinstated as a starter, he’s dealt out an impressive twenty-nine strikeouts to just eight walks, and owns a 59.2% ground ball rate.
Toscano is a 27-year-old outfield prospect the Braves signed as an international free agent in 2014. As a Cuban defector, Toscano struggled to get government clearance to play in America and was forced to sit out the entire 2015 season. So far in 2016, Toscano’s slash line sits at .226/.310/.271.
Pfeifer, the Dodgers third round pick of the 2015 MLB Draft, is a left-handed pitcher with a career 2.53 ERA in the minors. He’s shown decent K/BB ratios, this year’s being at forty-two to eighteen. The Braves will likely look at Pfieffer as a future bullpen piece.
Dirks, a 23-year-old righty pitching prospect, was originally drafted by the Braves in 2014 during the 15th round. He is currently ranked as the Dodgers 30th-best prospect. He sports a career 1.43 ERA and .220 BAA in the minors, and even better K/BB ratios (35-7 in 2016). Dirks is also a likely future bullpen candidate.
The addition of Pfeifer and Dirks falls in line with the current Braves philosophy of stockpiling young arms in exchange for competitive veterans. The loss of Norris will cost the Braves an established starter, but will open the door for one of the Braves many pitching prospects to get experience in the Majors. However, the loss of Toscano will hurt the already thin organizational depth in the outfield. Overall, this is exactly the kind of trade the Braves have committed to making over the last two seasons.
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