Padres acquire RHP Edinson Volquez and three Reds prospects for RHP Mat Latos

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres today announced they have acquired right-handed pitchers Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger, infielder Yonder Alonso and catcher Yasmani Grandal from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Mat Latos.  In addition, the club has designated catcher Luis Martinez for assignment.  Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements.

“Our young starting pitching depth allowed us to make a move like this,” said Byrnes. “We've added four credentialed young players who can help us win in the short and long term.” 

Volquez, 28, has gone 30-18 with a 4.17 ERA (193 ER/417.0 IP), a .238 (366-for-1540) opponents batting average and 424 strikeouts against 225 walks in 74 games, 73 starts, since being acquired by the Reds in December of 2007 from the Texas Rangers as part of a three-player deal in exchange for outfielder Josh Hamilton.  In his first full Major League campaign in 2008, he went 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA (70 ER/196.0 IP) and 206 strikeouts against 93 walks over 33 games, 32 starts, being named to his first National League All-Star Team that year.  The right-hander was the Reds’ Opening Day starter last season, going 5-7 with a 5.71 ERA (69 ER/108.2 IP) and 104 strikeouts against 65 walks in 20 starts for Cincinnati.  He also went 4-2 with a 2.37 ERA (23 ER/87.1 IP) and 83 strikeouts against 29 walks in 13 starts for Triple-A Louisville in 2011.  Originally signed by the Rangers as a non-drafted free agent in October of 2001, Volquez has gone 33-29 with a 4.65 ERA (257 ER/497.0 IP) and 479 strikeouts against 267 walks in 94 games, 90 starts, over parts of seven Major League seasons with the Texas Rangers (2005-07) and Reds (2008-11).

Boxberger, 23, went 2-4 with 11 saves, a 2.03 ERA (14 ER/62.0 IP), a .152 (32-for-211) opponents batting average and 93 strikeouts against 28 walks and just four home runs allowed over 55 relief appearances last season in the Reds organization, splitting the year between Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Louisville.  A native of Southern California, the right-hander was recently named the No. 10 prospect in the Reds organization by Baseball America, following the 2011 season.  Originally selected by the Reds in the compensation round (43^rd overall) of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Southern California, he has gone 7-14 with a 3.75 ERA (64 ER/153.2 IP), a .219 (123-for-561) opponents batting average and 203 strikeouts against 70 walks over 91 games, 13 starts, across two minor league seasons (2010-11) in the Reds organization.

Alonso, 24, hit .330 (29-for-88) with four doubles, five home runs, 15 RBI, nine runs scored and 10 walks in 47 games for the Reds and .296 (106-for-358) with 24 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs, 56 RBI, 46 runs scored and 46 walks in 91 games for Triple-A Louisville last season.  The left-handed hitter also played in the 2011 XM All-Star Futures Game for the second-straight season last year, batting third and playing first base for the World Team.  He was recently named the No. 3 prospect in the Reds organization by Baseball America, following the 2011 season.  Originally selected by the Reds in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Miami, he has hit .293 (345-for-1179) with 85 doubles, six triples, 36 home runs, 179 RBI, 149 runs scored, 148 walks, a .370 on-base percentage and a .466 slugging percentage.

Grandal, 23, hit .305 (114-for-374) with 31 doubles, 14 home runs, 68 RBI, 69 runs scored, 59 walks, a .401 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage in 105 games across three different minor league levels in the Reds organization last season, his first full professional season.  He primarily split the 2011 campaign between Single-A Bakersfield and Double-A Carolina.   The switch-hitting catcher was also recently named the No. 4 prospect in the Reds organization by Baseball America, following the 2011 season. A native of Cuba, he was originally selected by the Reds in the first round (12^th overall) of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, also out of the University of Miami.

Latos, 24, went 9-14 with a 3.47 ERA (75 ER/194.1 IP), a .233 (168-for-721) opponents batting average and 185 strikeouts against 62 walks in 31 starts for San Diego in 2011.  In his first full Big League season in 2010, the right-hander set a modern Major League record by allowing two-runs-or-fewer in 15-straight starts of five-or-more innings pitched from June 10 to September 7, 2010, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.  Originally selected by the Padres in the 11^th-round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft and signed as a draft-and-follow, Latos has gone 27-29 with a 3.37 ERA (161 ER/429.2 IP) and 413 strikeouts against 135 walks in 72 career starts over parts of three Major League seasons (2009-11), all with the Padres. 

Martinez, 26, made his Major League debut for the Padres last season.  The catcher hit .203 (12-for-59) with one double, one triple, one home run, 10 RBI and seven runs scored in 22 games for San Diego in 2011.  He also hit .323 (64-for-198) with 17 doubles, one triple, one home run, 28 RBI and 24 runs scored in 58 games for Triple-A Tucson last year.  Originally signed by the Padres as a 12^th-round selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, he has hit .272 (361-for-1326) with 75 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 136 RBI and 165 runs scored in 397 games played over parts of five minor league seasons (2007-11) in the Padres organization.

With today’s transactions, the Padres currently have 40 players on their 40-man roster.