The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Minor League pitcher Jose Vasquez from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Diego Cartaya.
Vasquez appeared in 11 games for the Dominican Summer League Twins last season. The 20-year-old struck out 45 batters in 30.2 innings while posting a 4.99 ERA and going 4-0.
Although his ERA was inflated, Vasquez posted a 3.75 FIP and 3.29 xFIP thanks in part to an unlucky .378 BABIP and 50% ground ball rate.
The 6-foot-4 right-hander has completed two seasons in the DSL, going a combined 5-2 with an 8.05 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 57 innings.
Vasquez has experience starting and relieving, but figures to be a reliever long-term thanks to his elite strikeout rate and walk issues.
He was signed by the Twins as an international free agent on Dec. 13, 2022, out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Diego Cartaya traded after DFA
Cartaya was previously designated for assignment by the Dodgers in order to make room on their 40-man roster for Hyeseong Kim. The club had seven days to trade Cartaya after making the move on Jan. 3.
The former top Dodgers prospect struggled upon being promoted to the upper Minor Leagues and continued to fail with each opportunity.
Cartaya hit just .189/.278/.379 with 10 doubles, 19 home runs and 57 RBI over 93 games for Double-A Tulsa in 2023. He continued to show elite power, but struck out at a 29% rate.
Cartaya played in 93 games last year with the Drillers and Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The 23-year-old started the season at the Double-A level, where he hit .236 with five homers and 27 RBI. Cartaya was promoted to Triple-A on June 25 and finished the season with a .643 on-base plus slugging percentage and six homers for Oklahoma City.
Cartaya appeared in 363 minor league games for the Dodgers, clubbing 66 homers and driving in 234 runs.
Despite his former pedigree as one of MLB’s top prospects, Cartaya was overtaken by Dalton Rushing on the organization’s depth chart.
Cartaya could benefit from a change of scenery with less pressure to produce. However, he still faces a long road ahead.
He was originally signed as an intentional free agent on July 2, 2018, out of Maracay, Venezuela.
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