Angels acquire RHP Nick Tropeano and C Carlos Perez from Houston

Club sends C Hank Conger to Astros

ANAHEIM, CA - The Angels today acquired RHP Nick Tropeano and C Carlos Perez from the Houston Astros in exchange for C Hank Conger. Today's announcement was made by General Manager Jerry Dipoto. 

Tropeano, 24, spent a majority of the 2014 season with Triple-A Oklahoma City before making his Major League debut with Houston on Sept. 10. The right-hander made four starts with the Astros, going 1-3 with a 4.57 ERA (21.2 IP - 11 ER) and tossed at least five innings in each of his starts, including a season-best 6.2 innings against the Rangers on Sept. 22nd. Prior to his call up, Tropeano appeared in 23 games (20 starts) with Oklahoma City, going 9-5 with a 3.03 ERA (124.2 IP - 42 ER), logged 120 strikeouts and allowed just 33 walks (3.64 SO/W). The New York native finished the 2014 minor league campaign as the Pacific Coast League's leader in ERA, WHIP (0.99) and opponents' average (.203) and also led the RedHawks in wins and strikeouts.

Originally drafted by the Astros in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Stony Brook University, Tropeano owns a 31-24 career record at the minor league level (4 seasons) with a 3.26 ERA (124.2 IP - 42 ER) and 479 strikeouts. The right-hander is a two-time Mid-Season All-Star (2012 and 2014), three-time pitcher of the week (all in 2012 with Single-A Lexington) and entered 2014 ranked as the Astros' No. 18 prospect (10th-best pitcher) by Baseball America.

Perez, 24, appeared in 88 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2014 and batted .259 (78/301) with 16 doubles, six home runs and 34 RBI. In 74 games behind the plate for the RedHawks, he successfully caught 22 of 68 (32%) would-be basestealers which ranked as the fifth-best mark in the Pacific Coast League. A native of Venezuela, Perez was originally signed by Toronto as an international free agent in 2008 and was traded to Houston as part of a 10-player deal in July of 2012. He was named one of the Blue Jays Top 10 prospects by Baseball America following the 2009 and 2010 seasons. In seven career minor league seasons, he owns a .277 batting average (536/1934) with 111 doubles, 27 triples, 20 home runs and 253 RBI. For his career, he has a caught stealing percentage of 33% (183 CS - 547 attempts) across 458 minor league games as a catcher.

Conger, 26, completed his fifth season with the Angels in 2014, posting a .221 (51/231) average with 12 doubles, four home runs, and 25 RBI in 80 games. Halo pitchers fashioned a 3.35 ERA with Conger behind the plate and saw him throw out a career-best 14 would-be base stealers. A former 1st round draft pick by the Halos in 2006, Conger owns a .224 (154/688) average at the Major League level with 17 home runs and 71 RBI.