The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets completed a trade today, as the Braves sent infielder/outfielder Kelly Johnson to the Mets in exchange for minor-league right-handed pitcher Akeel Morris.
Morris, 23, is in his seventh professional season with the Mets and his second season with Double-A Binghamton. This season he has appeared in 22 games (all in relief) and has recorded 36 strikeouts in 25.1 innings pitched. In his minor-league career he has posted 405 strikeouts in 303 innings of work for a rate of 12 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
The 6-foot-1 righty is a native of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and was selected in the 10th round of the 2010 MLB Draft out of Amalie High School (St. Thomas, VI). He made his Major League debut in 2015, when he appeared in one game for the Mets.
Johnson, 34, returned to the Braves this season and appeared in 49 games, hitting .215 (26-for-121) with one home run and 10 RBI. He has played parts of six seasons with the Braves over his 11-year big-league career, and was also traded from the Braves to the Mets in July 2015, appearing in the 2015 World Series against Kansas City.
Morris will be assigned to Double-A Mississippi.