The Texas Rangers have traded Cuban outfielder Julio Pablo Martínez to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor league right-hander Tyler Owens.
Martínez, who made his MLB debut last year with the Rangers, appeared in 17 games and had a batting average of .225 with one home run and four RBIs. He spent most of the season in the minors, where he had impressive stats including a .297 batting average, 14 home runs, 60 RBIs, and 41 stolen bases in 82 games.
The 28-year-old outfielder has spent his entire professional career with the Rangers, playing in 460 games in the minors and hitting .257 with 58 home runs, 220 RBIs, and 145 RBIs.
On the other hand, the 23-year-old right-hander Owens split his 2023 season between the Braves’ Double-A and High-A affiliates, posting a 3.03 ERA over 65.1 innings with 67 strikeouts in 29 games, 15 of which were starts. He was ranked as one of the Braves’ top prospects by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.
The trade is seen as a strategic move for both teams as they aim to strengthen their respective rosters.