ANAHEIM, CA - The Angels today acquired RHP Brooks Pounders from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor league RHP Jared Ruxer. Additionally, LHP Cody Ege has been designated for assignment. Today's announcements were made by Angels General Manager Billy Eppler.
Pounders, 26, was named Triple-A Omaha Pitcher of the Year this season, after posting a 5-3 record and 3.14 ERA (80.1 IP - 28 ER) with 90 strikeouts across 31 games (seven starts) for the Storm Chasers. He also earned Pacific Coast League Mid-Season All-Star honors. The Riverside, CA native made his Major League debut with the Royals on July 5 at Toronto and went 2-1 with a 9.24 ERA (12.2IP - 13 ER) in 13 games across three stints with Kansas City. He earned his first victory on July 7 vs. Seattle and stranded all six of his inherited runners on the season for the Royals.
A graduate of Temecula Valley High School, located 63 miles from Angel Stadium, Pounders was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the second round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. He has compiled a 32-33 career minor league record with a 3.77 ERA (561 IP - 235 ER) and 531 strikeouts across 171 games (81 starts).
Ruxer, 24, split the 2016 season between Class A Burlington and Adv.-A Inland Empire and combined to go 4-8 with a 3.08 ERA (111 IP - 38 ER) in 29 games (19 starts). The Indianapolis native was selected by the Angels in the 12^th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Louisville and has compiled a 4-11 record and 3.45 ERA (140.2 IP - 54 ER) in his two minor league seasons with the Angels.