Indians & Padres complete trade

The Cleveland Indians today announced the acquisition of OF AARON CUNNINGHAM from the San Diego Padres in exchange for RHP CORY BURNS.

Cunningham, 25, split the 2011 season between Triple-A Tucson and the San Diego Major League club.  At Tucson he hit .329 (112-340) with 34 doubles, 4 triples, 9 home runs and 63 RBI in 87 games (.398OBP/.532SLG/.930OPS).  With the Padres he hit .178 (16-90) with 6 2B, 3HR & 9RBI in 52 games.  He hit .227 (10-44) w/2HR & 4RBI in 23 games away from Petco Park.

The right-handed hitting corner outfielder hit .288 (38-132) with 12 2B, 1 3B, 1HR & 15RBI in 53 games for San Diego in 2010 after being acquired from the Oakland A's prior to the start of the season.  He owns a Major League career batting average of .231 (82-355) with 27 2B, 3 3B, 6HR & 44 RBI in 150 games with Oakland and SD.  He owns a career average of .256 (33-129) off left-handed pitching (.741OPS).  He began his professional career as a 6th round draft pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and traded to Arizona in June 2007 and later dealt to Oakland in December of that year in the seven-player deal that sent RHP Dan Haren from Oakland to Arizona. His Minor League career average is .306 (749-2450) in 645 games and he entered the 2009 season ranked the 55th overall prospect in all of MiLB according to Baseball America.

Burns was the Tribe's 8th round selection in 2009 and went 2-5 w/a 2.11 ERA in 54 relief appearances for Double-A Akron in 2011.