Dodgers acquire four Minor Leaguers in moves
LA obtains prospects from Blue Jays, Braves for four international signing slots
The Dodgers acquired Minor Leaguers Chase DeJong and Tim Locastro from the Toronto Blue Jays and also Caleb Dirks and outfielder Jordan Paroubeck from the Atlanta Braves on Thursday in exchange for four international signing slots.
DeJong, a 21-year-old right-handed pitcher; Locastro, a 22-year-old infielder; and Dirks, a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher, have been assigned to Class A Rancho Cucamonga. Paroubeck, a 20-year-old outfielder, will go to Arizona and continue rehabbing a minor quad injury.
The Blue Jays received international signing slots 27, 57 and 117. That gives Toronto extra pool money to lessen its penalties for exceeding the limit in signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on Thursday. The Braves received international signing slot 87.
DeJong was 7-4 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 14 starts for Class A Dunedin this season. A native of Long Beach, Calif., he was selected out of Woodrow Wilson High School in the second round of the 2012 Draft.
Locastro owns a .305 career batting average, including a .310 mark with five home runs in 70 games this season for Class A Lansing. He was a 13th-round pick of the Blue Jays in the 2013 Draft after attending Ithaca College.
Dirks made 17 relief appearances combined for the Braves' Class A Rome and Class A Advanced Carolina affiliates, going 1-2 with three saves and posting a 0.68 ERA. He has pitched 16 2/3 scoreless innings in 11 relief appearances after being promoted to Carolina on May 8. He was originally selected by the Braves in the 15th round of the 2014 Draft from California Baptist University.
Paroubeck was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the second round (No. 69 overall) of the 2013 Draft out of Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif. The switch-hitter batted .286 with four homers, 24 RBIs and 26 runs scored in 34 games, all in left field, for San Diego's Arizona League squad last season. In 2015, he was dealt from San Diego to Atlanta in the Craig Kimbrel trade and played in 25 extended spring training games.
With the two deals, the Dodgers acquired four players for $1,320,300 in overage tax for international signings.