SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced that they have acquired outfielder Wil Myers, catcher Ryan Hanigan, left-handed pitcher Jose Castillo and right-handed pitcher Gerardo Reyes from the Tampa Bay Rays. As part of the agreement, the Padres will send catcher Rene Rivera, right-handed pitcher Burch Smith and infielder Jake Bauers to Tampa Bay, as well as right-handed pitcher Joe Ross and a player to be named later to Washington. In addition, the Rays will receive outfielder Steven Souza Jr. and left-handed pitcher Travis Ott from the Nationals. Executive Vice President/General Manager A.J. Preller made the announcement.
Myers, 24, hit .222 with 14 doubles, six home runs, 35 RBI and 37 runs scored in 87 games for the Rays in 2014. The Thomasville, N.C., native was voted as the American League's Rookie of the Year in 2013 after he led AL rookies in RBI (53), doubles (23), extra-base hits (36), on-base percentage (.354) and slugging percentage (.478) and was tied for first in total bases (160) despite playing in just 88 games after his June 18 call-up. Myers was the first position player in American League history and the second player overall to win Rookie of the Year honors in fewer than 100 games played (Ryan Howard, 2005). Twice rated by Baseball America as a Top-10 prospect in baseball (2010, 2012), the right-handed hitter was named Minor League Player of the Year in 2012 by Baseball America, USA Today and Topps, joining Andruw Jones (1996) and Josh Beckett (2001) as the only players to win the award from all three publications in the same year. A third-round selection of the Kansas City Royals in 2009, Myers owns a career .258 batting average with 37 doubles, 19 home runs, 88 RBI and 87 runs scored in 175 career games over parts of two Major League seasons (2013-14), both with the Rays. Originally drafted as a catcher before transitioning to the outfield in 2012, Myers hit .299 with 107 doubles, 14 triples, 80 home runs, 322 RBI and 284 runs scored in 452 minor league games over parts of six minor league seasons.
Hanigan, 34, hit .218 with nine doubles, five home runs, 34 RBI and 18 runs scored in 84 games for the Rays in 2014. The Washington D.C. native has hit .256 with 57 doubles, 25 home runs, 172 RBI and 146 runs scored in 558 career games over parts of eight Major League seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (2007-13) and Rays (2014). Defensively, he ranks second among active catchers with a career .996 fielding percentage and third with a 33.8 caught stealing percentage (min. 500 games). Over the last two seasons, Hanigan has committed just two errors in 1,145 chances, including a career-long 122 game streak from May 20, 2013- September 9, 2014.
Castillo, 18, appeared in three games during the 2014 season, pitching to a 0-0 record with a 3.86 ERA (2 ER, 4.2 IP) and four strikeouts against two walks for the Rookie-Level Gulf Coast League Rays. A native of Valencia, Venezuela, the 6-4, 200 pound left-hander owns a lifetime 2-2 record with a 5.60 ERA (22 ER, 35.1 IP) and 29 strikeouts against 10 walks in 15 games, three starts, over parts of two minor league seasons.
Reyes, 21, made his professional debut during the 2014 season for Short-A Hudson Valley, pitching to a 2-1 record with a 4.09 ERA (15 ER, 33.0 IP) and 39 strikeouts against nine walks in 20 games out of the bullpen. A native of Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, he originally signed with the Rays as a non-drafted free-agent on August 11, 2013.
Rivera, 31, posted career-highs in almost every category during the 2014 season for the Padres, including games played (103), at-bats (294), runs (27), hits (74), doubles (18), home runs (11), RBI (44), walks (27), batting average (.252), on-base percentage (.319) and slugging percentage (.432). The Bayamon, Puerto Rico, native owns a lifetime .228 batting average with 31 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs, 66 RBI and 51 runs scored in 224 games over parts of six Major League seasons.
Smith, 24, made two appearances for Triple-A El Paso in 2014, pitching to a 0-2 record with an 18.56 ERA (11 ER, 5.1 IP) with three strikeouts against five walks for the Chihuahuas. In 48 games, 46 starts, over parts of four minor league seasons, the San Antonio, Tex., native has pitched to a 15-11 record with a 3.71 ERA (94 ER, 228.1 IP) and 246 strikeouts against 56 walks. Smith made his Major League debut during the 2013 season, pitching to a 1-3 record with a 6.44 ERA (26 ER, 36.1 IP) and 46 strikeouts against 21 walks in 10 games, seven starts, for San Diego.
Ross, 21, pitched to a combined 10-6 record with a 3.92 ERA (53 ER, 121.2 IP) and 106 strikeouts against 29 walks between Single-A Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio in 2014. A California League All-Star last season, the right-hander owns a lifetime 15-18 record with a 3.90 ERA (130 ER, 299.2 IP) and 241 strikeouts against 91 walks in 62 games, 60 starts, over parts of four minor league seasons. He was originally signed by the Padres as a first-round (25th-overall) selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
Bauers, 19, hit .296 with 18 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 64 RBI and 59 runs scored in 112 games for Single-A Fort Wayne in 2014, where he was named a Midwest League Post-Season All-Star. A seventh-round selection of the Padres in 2013, the left-handed hitter owns a lifetime .292 batting average with 26 doubles, five triples, nine home runs, 89 RBI and 81 runs scored in 159 games over parts of two minor league seasons
