The Braves made another trade Monday that underscores the importance they place on the June draft in their rebuilding plan.
They traded minor league pitchers Brandon Barker and left-hander Trevor Belicek to the Orioles in exchange for left-handed reliever Brian Matusz and the No. 76 pick in next month’s draft. That brings to five the number of picks the Braves hold among the first 80 picks in the June 9-11 draft, Nos. 3, 40, 44, 76 and 80.
The Braves immediately designated for assignment the contract of Matusz, who could traded or released. In other words, the draft pick and additional bonus-pool spending flexibility attached to it were the sole reasons the Braves did the deal, agreeing to take on the remainder of Matusz’s $3.9 million salary for 2016.
They added just under $839,000 — the assigned value for the No. 76 slot — to the total bonus-pool money the Braves can spend to sign draft picks.
“We are building for the future, and pick 76 fits within our plan,” Braves general manager John Coppolella said. “We recognize value not only in terms of the potential player we select, but also in the flexibility provided with added bonus-pool money.”
The two pitchers the Braves gave up are 23-year-olds considered be be fringe prospects, according to one National League talent evaluator. Both were 16th-round draft picks, Barker in 2014 and Belicek in 2015.
Barker was 3-2 with a 2.00 ERA in nine games (eight starts) for Double-A Mississippi this season. Belicek was 3-0 with a combined 2.22 ERA in 12 relief appearances for Single-A Rome (11 appearances) and Double-A Mississippi, with 32 strikeouts and only one walk in 28 1/3 innings.
Matusz has a 12.00 ERA in seven relief appearance this season, with one strikeout and seven walks in six innings. He had hoped to compete for a spot in Baltimore’s rotation this season, but returned to his relief role after beginning the season on the disabled list with a back ailment that sidelined him until April 23.
He had allowed 11 hits, eight earned runs and seven walks with one strikeout in six innings, and lefty batters were 5-for-11 against him with five walks and a .625 OBP.
In eight major league seasons, all with the Orioles, Matusz had a 27-41 record and 4.85 ERA in 279 games (68 starts), including a career-best 2.94 ERA in 58 appearances in 2015. He was a first-round pick — fourth overall selection — in the 2008 draft.
