The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a trade with the Oakland Athletics to acquire Yonny Hernández in exchange for cash considerations.
The move brings the Dodgers 40-man roster to 39 players and barring a change, it will be full once the team finalizes the signing of Noah Syndergaard to a reported one-year, $13 million contract.
Hernández began his professional career by signing with the Texas Rangers out of Venezuela in 2014 at age 16. Hernández made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2021, batting .217/.315/.252 with five doubles and six RBI to go along with 11 stolen bases over 43 games.
He was traded by the Rangers to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Minor Leaguer Jeferson Espinal on April 7, 2022. Hernández went on to appear in 12 games with the Diamondbacks this past season, though only had two hits, two stolen bases, two walks and four strikeouts over 28 plate appearances.
Despite not hitting particularly well during brief stints in the Majors, Hernández’s 9.8% walk rate and 18.6% strikeout rate are both better than league average.
Hernández fared better at the Triple-A level this year, where he hit a combined .241/.349/.324 with six doubles, six triples, one home run, 31 RBI and 30 stolen bases while appearing in 71 games during time in the Rangers and Diamondbacks organizations.
The Oakland Athletics claimed Hernández off waivers from the D’Backs last month, but designated him for assignment on Tuesday as part of the corresponding roster moves to sign Jace Peterson and Aledmys Diaz.
Although Hernández doesn’t profile much as a hitter, he brings with him defensive versatility by being able to play second base, shortstop, third base, left field and center field.
Yonny Hernández latest Dodgers trade
Acquiring the 24-year-old utility player, who has two Minor League options remaining, is the second Dodgers trade is as many days.
On Wednesday, they sent Minor Leaguer Jeff Belge to the Tampa Bay Rays for relief pitcher J.P. Feyereisen. The right-hander just underwent right shoulder surgery to repair his right rotator cuff and labrum, and likely will not be in position to pitch until the second half of the 2023 season.
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