Padres General Manager A.J. Preller has been quiet so far on the trade front this offseason.
Not anymore.
The Padres sent veteran catcher Derek Norris to the Washington Nationals in exchange for right-handed pitcher Pedro Avila.
In two seasons for the Padres, 27-year old Norris hit .222 with 28 home runs and 104 runs batted in. The Kansas native came to the Padres from the Oakland A’s where he was an all-star in 2014. Now Norris returns to the Nationals who traded him to the Athletics in 2011.
With Norris heading to D.C., it opens a spot for Austin Hedges to come back to the big leagues. In Triple-A El Paso last year Hedges hit .325 with 21 home runs and 82 RBI in 82 games for the Chihuahuas.
Coming to San Diego in the deal is 19-year old right-handed pitcher Pedro Avila.
The Venezuela native spent last season in Single-A Hagerston. He finished with a 7-7 record and an earned run average of 3.48 with 92 strikeouts and 38 walks.
