Braves acquire two minor-league lefthanders
For Immediate Release: January 11, 2017
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves acquired minor-league left-handed pitchers Luiz Gohara and Thomas Burrows from the Seattle Mariners today in exchange for outfielder Mallex Smith and right-handed pitcher Shae Simmons.
Gohara, 20, split last season between Single-A Clinton and Single-A Everett, combining to compile a 1.81 ERA (14 ER/69.2 IP) while winning seven of his nine decisions in 13 games, all starts. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound native of Tupa, Brazil, fanned 81 batters, while walking 23 and giving up two home runs.
Originally signed in 2012 as a 16-year-old, Gohara ranked as the Mariners’ third-best prospect according to Baseball America. He earned a Northwest League All-Star berth in 2015 with Everett.
Burrows, 22, made his professional debut with Single-A Everett last season after the Mariners selected the left-hander in the fourth round (No. 116 overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound native of Florence, Ala., went 0-1 with a 2.55 ERA (7 ER/24.2 IP) and six saves in 20 games out of the bullpen for the AquaSox. He struck out 37 batters and walked 11.
Burrows played three seasons for the University of Alabama, serving as the Crimson Tide’s closer from 2014-2016 and finishing as the school’s career leader with 30 saves.
This is the second trade of the offseason for the Braves and Mariners. The teams swapped four players on November 28, when Atlanta sent right-handed pitchers Rob Whalen and Max Povse to Seattle in exchange for minor-leaguer Alex Jackson and a player to be named later (left-handed pitcher Tyler Pike).
For more on this trade, check out Kevin McAlpin and Ben Ingram’s Video blog HERE:
