The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers completed a trade today, as the Braves acquired minor-league pitchers Phil Pfeifer and Caleb Dirks in exchange for right-handed pitcher Bud Norris, minor-league outfielder Dian Toscano, a player to be named later and cash considerations.
Pfeifer, 23, is in his second professional season after the Dodgers selected him in the third round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University. In 18 career minor-league games, one start, the left-hander is 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA (9 ER/32.0 IP), including a 2.67 ERA in 17 relief appearances this season. He made three appearances with Single-A Great Lakes to open the season before transferring to High-A Rancho Cucamonga on May 6, where he posted a 2-1 record and a 3.33 ERA in 14 relief appearances. The 6-foot-0, 190-pound native of Knoxville, Tenn., has held opponents to a .215 (23-for-107) batting average on the season, including a .194 (7-for-36) mark by left-handed batters.
Dirks, 23, returns to the Atlanta organization after the Braves originally selected him in the 15th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. He was traded to the Dodgers along with outfielder Jordan Paroubeck in exchange for International Bonus Pool Slot No. 87 on July 2, 2015.
A right-handed pitcher in his third professional season, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Dirks owns a 7-4 record and a 1.43 ERA (18 ER/113.2 IP) with 49 games finished and 17 saves in 89 career games. Dirks has made 28 appearances for Double-A Tulsa this season, going 3-2 with a 1.44 ERA (5 ER/31.1 IP) and six saves, striking out 35 batters in 31.1 innings. He has fanned 136 batters over 113.2 innings in his career, good for 10.8 strikeouts per 9.0 innings.
Norris, 31, was in his first season with Atlanta and his eighth professional campaign after signing with the Club as a free agent on November 25, 2015. He compiled a 3-7 record and a 4.22 ERA (33 ER/70.1 IP) in 22 games (10 starts) for the Braves, including a 2-1 record with a 2.15 ERA in his last five starts.
Toscano, 27, signed with the Braves as a non-drafted free agent in 2015 and made his professional debut this year, batting .226 (40-for-177) with five extra-base hits and 10 RBI over 58 games with Double-A Mississippi.