The Braves traded four young players, along with veteran third baseman
Martin Prado, to the Diamondbacks to acquire outfielder Justin Upton and third baseman Chris
Johnson.
A quick look at each of the youngsters:
RHP Randall Delgado: The pitcher the Cubs wanted to
acquire from the Braves in exchange for two months of right-hander Ryan Dempster last season before a
proposed deal collapsed.
Delgado, who turns 23 on Feb. 9, throws a power sinker in the mid-90s
and also boasts an outstanding changeup. He could become a No. 3 or 4
starter or a valuable contributor out of the
bullpen.
The Braves named Delgado their fifth starter to open the season in
2012, and he will compete for the same role with the Diamondbacks in
spring training.
SS Nick Ahmed: The Braves only traded him because Andrelton Simmons
is their long-term solution at shortstop. Otherwise, Ahmed -- a
second-round pick out of Connecticut in 2011 -- might have taken over the
position by ’14.
Some teams like Ahmed better than Didi Gregorius, another shortstop the Diamondbacks acquired this offseason. Ahmed is an outstanding
defender with speed and might prove a better hitter than Gregorius.
The Detroit Tigers, one of the teams that like Ahmed, wanted him as
part of a package for right-hander Rick Porcello, according to
major-league sources. Those conversations would have expanded the Upton
deal to a three-team trade.
Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers, however, all but dismissed the idea of
acquiring Porcello on Thursday, saying the team no longer was looking
for starting pitching after acquiring Delgado.
RHP Zeke Spruill: Spruill, a second-round pick in 2008, was the
Braves’ No. 9 prospect according to Baseball America. Braves people
compared Spruill, 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, to a young Derek Lowe.
Towers and manager Kirk Gibson saw Spruill pitch in the Arizona Fall
League and evidently liked what they saw. Spruill throws a heavy sinker
in the mid-90s.
1B/3B Brandon Drury: A 13th-round pick in 2010, Drury won
the Appalachian League batting title in ’11 but batted only .229 with a
.603 OPS at Class A Rome last season.
The Braves believed Drury profiles better at first than third,
and as with Ahmed, they loved his makeup. Drury is from Grants Pass, Ore.,
not far from Towers’ hometown of Medford, Ore., and is close with Rockies
shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
