The Arizona Diamondbacks have added two names to their list of offseason acquisitions over the weekend, grabbing right-handed pitcher Tyler Wagner and former all-star shortstop Jean Segura from the Milwaukee Brewers.
On the Brewers' end of the haul, second baseman Aaron Hill, righty Chase Anderson and minor league shortstop Isan Diaz, along with some cash, have all made their way to Milwaukee. The five-player deal, first reported by ESPN's Keith Law, involves $5.5 million to be sent to the Brewers to partially cover the $12 million owed to Hill.
Segura, 25, was an All-Star in 2013 with Milwaukee, hitting .294 with 12 home runs along with 44 stolen bases. His 3.9 wins above replacement (WAR) three years ago was tied for fifth among the league's shortstops. However, Segura struggled to find consistency at the plate, and his offense has fallen off during the past two seasons. He can play multiple infield positions and will probably take over for Hill, Arizona's mainstay at second base in the previous season.
Tyler Wagner, who is also 25 years old, was a fourth round pick for Milwaukee back in 2012. He made his major league debut in 2015, putting up an impressive ERA in a small sample size. In Double-A Biloxi, Wagner went 11-5 with a 2.26 ERA. He was ranked 15th in a list of Brewers prospects compiled by MLB.com. The right-hand pitcher averaged about 90 mph with his fastball in a three start debut last season.
In Milwaukee's end of the deal, Anderson is apparently the cream of the crop. The 28-year-old pitcher has been a reliable change-up specialist in Arizona. In a total of 267 career innings, he delivered an ERA of 4.18 (4.17 FIP) with 7.28 K/9 and 2.70 BB/9. The veteran, however, has declined steadily since his stellar 2012 season. Playing time battles along with injuries held him to 353 plate appearances in 2015 where he only hit .230/.295/.345.
Furthermore, Milwaukee acquired a high-quality prospect in the form of Isan Diaz. Baseball America rated the 19-year-old Diaz the ninth best prospect in the Arizona system. He is coming off a strong season in rookie baseball in which he was touted as the MVP of the Pioneer League. Diaz hit .360/.436/.640 with 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 312 plate appearances.
In a statement given to ESPN, Milwaukee Brewers General Manager David Stearns said, "In Chase Anderson and Aaron Hill, we are adding two proven major league contributors who will impact our team this year. Chase is a young starting pitcher who has already enjoyed success at the major league level. Aaron has a long history of production and positional versatility."
