Marlins complete 12-player trade with Blue Jays

The Miami Marlins today announced they have completed a 12-player trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, acquiring SS Adeiny Hechavarria, LHP Justin Nicolino, OF Jake Marisnick, RHP Henderson Alvarez, RHP Anthony DeSclafani, C Jeff Mathis and INF Yunel Escobar in exchange for SS Jose Reyes, RHP Josh Johnson, LHP Mark Buehrle, C John Buck, OF Emilio Bonifacio and cash. The announcement was made by Marlins President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest.

“We've finished in last place the past two years, and that is unacceptable to our fans, to us as an organization, and to me,” said Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria. “We want to get back to our winning ways, and we want a winning baseball team for our fans. It's incumbent on us to make the changes necessary to make us a winner again.”

“It may not happen overnight,” he added. “But with the players we acquired in the second half of last season, coupled with the infusion of players we are acquiring now, we will be returning to Marlins Baseball: high energy and hungry.”

Hechavarria (etch-uh-vuh-REE-uh), 23, signed with Toronto on April 13, 2010 out of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba and was ranked the best defensive infielder in the Blue Jays organization by Baseball America prior to this season. Prior to his call-up on August 4, he was hitting .312 (138x443) with 20 doubles, six triples, six home runs and 63 RBI in 102 games with triple-A Las Vegas and was named a Pacific Coast League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star. In 2011, he was named an Eastern League (double-A) Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star.

Nicolino, 21, posted a 10-4 record and 2.46 ERA (124.1/34) in 28 games for single-A Lansing, ranking third in ERA and strikeouts (119). The Jays’ second-round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft was rated as having the Best Control and Best Changeup in the Jays’ organization by Baseball America following the season.

Marisnick, 21, was selected by Toronto in the third round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of Riverside Poly High School (CA) and ranked as the second-best prospect in the Blue Jays organization by Baseball America prior to this season. The outfielder hit .314 (22x70) with Salt River in the Arizona Fall League after splitting the 2012 season between double-A New Hampshire and single-A Dunedin. He was named the Florida State League Player of the Week on April 30. In 2011, he hit .320 (148x462) with single-A Lansing, recording 14 home runs and 77 RBI and was named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star, Baseball America Low Class A All-Star, Midwest League Post-Season All-Star and MID Mid-Season All-Star.

Alvarez, 22, was signed as a non-drafted free agent by Toronto on October 17, 2006. He made his Major League debut in 2011 and in 2012, his first full season in the Majors, Alvarez went 9-14 with a 4.85 ERA (187.1 IP/101 ER) in 31 starts. He recorded his first shutout and complete game on May 4, 2012 at Los Angeles-AL, allowing six hits and a walk with three strikeouts. The right-hander is 10-17, 4.52 (251.0/126) in 41 career starts in the Majors. He participated in the 2010 and 2011 MLB All-Star Futures Game.

DeSclafani, 22, made his pro debut last season with single-A Lansing. Toronto selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida. He went 11-3 with a 3.37 ERA (123.0 IP/46 ER) in 28 games (21 starts) for the Lugnuts, with 92 strikeouts to 25 walks, and just three home runs allowed.

Mathis, 29, appeared in 71 games for the Blue Jays last season, including 59 starts at catcher, batting .218 (46x211) with eight home runs and 27 RBI. It was his first year in Toronto after spending his first seven seasons with Los Angeles of Anaheim.

Escobar, 30, appeared in a career-high 145 games with a .253 average (141x558), 22 doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 51 RBI in 2012. The Havana, Cuba native returns to the National League, where he owned a .291 average (472x1622) in parts of four seasons with the Atlanta Braves from 2007-10.