Padres acquire RHP Shawn Kelley from New York Yankees in exchange for RHP Johnny Barbato
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres announced today they have acquired right-handed pitcher Shawn Kelley from the New York Yankees in exchange for right-handed pitcher Johnny Barbato. In order to create room on the 40-man roster, the club also designated right-handed pitcher Keyvius Sampson for assignment. Executive Vice President/General Manager A.J. Preller made the announcement.
Kelley, 30, went 3-6 with four saves, a 4.53 ERA (26 ER, 51.2 IP) and 67 strikeouts against 20 walks over 59 relief appearances in 2014 for the Yankees. A veteran of over five Major League seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2009-12) and Yankees (2013-14), he has posted a career 17-17 record with four saves, a 3.94 ERA (102 ER, 233.0 IP) and 260 strikeouts against 82 walks with a .241 (213-for-882) opponent batting average. Over the past two seasons for the Yankees, Kelley has gone 7-8 with a 4.46 ERA (52 ER, 105.0 IP) and 138 strikeouts against 43 walks with a .232 (92-for-397) opponent batting average for a strikeout-per-9.0 innings pitched ratio of 11.83, 10th-highest among Major League relievers over the last two seasons (minimum 100 games). A native of Louisville, Ky., Kelley was originally signed by the Mariners as a 13th-round selection from the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Austin Peay State University (TN).
Barbato, 22, played in 27 games for Double-A San Antonio in 2014, going 2-2 with 16 saves in 18 opportunities and a 2.87 ERA (10 ER, 31.1 IP) with 33 strikeouts against 10 walks for the Missions. A native of Miami, Fla., the right-hander was signed by the Padres as a sixth-round selection from the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Felix Varela Senior HS (FL). Over parts of four minor league seasons (2011-14) in the Padres organization, he has gone 12-13 with a 3.79 ERA (105 ER, 249.2 IP) and 256 strikeouts against 105 walks over 139 games, 20 starts.
Sampson, 23, went 2-5 with a 6.68 ERA (68 ER, 91.2 IP) and 94 strikeouts against 68 walks over 38 games, 14 starts, for Triple-A El Paso in 2014. The Florida-native was originally signed by the Padres as a fourth-round selection from the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of Ocala Forest HS (FL). Over parts of six minor league seasons (2009-14) in the Padres organization he has gone 37-29 with a 4.29 ERA (250 ER, 524.1 IP) and 560 strikeouts against 256 walks in 130 games, 102 starts.
With today's transactions, the Padres currently have a full 40-man roster.