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Rockies add lefty prospect Ybarra in deal with Jays

DENVER -- The Rockies on Wednesday added Minor League left-handed power pitching prospect Tyler Ybarra from the Blue Jays for lefty prospect Jayson Aquino, who was designated for assignment last week.

Ybarra, 25, a 43rd-round Draft choice in 2008 out of Wellington (Kansas) High School, posted ERAs from 1.95 to 2.27 from 2011 to 2013, and pitched in the Arizona Fall League in 2013. Last season, his first at the Double-A level, he went 4-4 with a 4.42 ERA in 38 games for New Hampshire, covering 53 innings pitched.

Ybarra is capable of a fastball at 94-95 mph, and can get hitters out with his breaking pitches -- a sweeping slider and a true curveball.

Under manager Walt Weiss and general manager Jeff Bridich, the Rockies want to emphasize acquiring power arms, especially for late in the game. Ybarra is not on the 40-man Major League roster. The club has not announced its non-roster invitees, but Ybarra would be a candidate to receive a look from the big league staff.

Aquino went a combined 5-10 with a 5.13 ERA at Class A Advanced Modesto and Double-A Tulsa in 2014, a season that followed the 22-year-old getting hit in the head with a line drive in an intrasquad game in Rockies Spring Training, though he wasn't hurt seriously. The Rockies removed him from the 40-man Major League roster to make room for right-hander David Hale, who was acquired in a trade with the Braves.

Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Hardball in the Rockies, follow him on Twitter @harding_at_mlb, and like his Facebook page, Thomas Harding and Friends at www.Rockies.com.
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