The San Diego Padres have traded minor league outfielder Reymond Fuentes to the Kansas City Royals for minor league pitcher Kyle Bartsch. The move came as both teams set their 40-man rosters, in preparation for next month’s Rule V Draft.
Fuentes, 23, was drafted 28th overall by Boston in the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft. He was traded to San Diego in the Adrian Gonzalez deal. He made his Major League debut in 2013 for San Diego, and hit .152 in 36 plate appearances. This season, Fuentes spent the entire year in the minors, and produced a triple-slash line of .294/.363/.416, with five homers, 33 RBI’s, and 25 steals between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso.
In return, the Royals will send LHP Kyle Bartsch to San Diego. Bartsch, 23, spent last year at High-A Wilmington of the Carolina League. In 41 games, Bartsch posted a 5-5 record, with a 2.29 ERA. He was the Royals' seventh round pick in 2013 out of South Alabama. Bartsch projects as a left-handed specialist and is a bit undersized, at 5’10".
Fuentes could be in line for a fourth outfielder job in Kansas City. He is still just 23, and has hit well in the minors, although he struggled a bit in Triple-A to start the season.
Bartsch figures to be a candidate to start the year in San Antonio for the Padres.