Pirates trade for Yates; other moves

By MIKE HENRY
mhenry@bradenton.com

BRADENTON -- General manager Neal Huntington announced today the Pirates have acquired right-handed pitcher Tyler Yates in a trade with Atlanta for minor-league pitcher Todd Redmond.
Yates made a career-high 75 appearances with the Braves last season, going 2-3 with two saves and a 5.18 ERA in 66 innings. He held right-handers to a .213 batting average.
The 29-year-old Yates originally signed with Oakland as a minor-league free agent in 1998 and made his major-league debut with the Mets in 2004.
Huntington said Yates could be used as a set-up man in the Pirates bullpen.
"Tyler is a three-plus years service guy who could be with us the next three years," Huntington said. "He has some power stuff; he's been hitting 92-97 (miles per hour) this spring with his fastball and his slider has been 87-90. He can get a strikeout or overpower people, and we're excited to add him to our club."
The right-handed Redmond, 22, was 8-13 with a 4.39 ERA last season in 28 combined starts at Single and Double-A. He was rated by Baseball America as having the "Best Control" among all pitchers in the Pirates' minor-league system.
The Pirates made several other personnel moves as they continue to trim the roster to 25 for Monday's season-opener in Atlanta.
Veteran Doug Mientkiewicz was added to the major-league roster, with middle infielder Josh Wilson designated for assignment to clear space for Mientkiewicz, who can play first, third and the outfield.
Pitchers Juan Perez and Byung-Hyun Kim were unconditionally released. Perez has not pitched since March 7 after incurring structural damage to his elbow ligament. The Pirates hope he can be rehabilitated through exercise and light throwing, but he could face Tommy John surgery.
"Hopefully, we will re-sign Perez to a minor-league contract," Huntington said of the left-hander. "We're not sure how quickly he is going to be ready to go. He wasn't a definite 60-day disabled list guy, so we chose to take a tougher business approach and take the roster spot now."
Kim had a rough spring, going 1-1 with a 14.40 ERA and five home runs allowed in five innings as he struggled mightily to keep his pitches down.
The Pirates also reassigned infielder Jorge Velandia to their minor-league camp and informed right-handed pitcher Jaret Wright he will not be on the major-league team. Huntington said Wright will decide whether to go to Triple-A Indianapolis or take his release.
The designation of Wilson for assignment and the reassignment of Velandia seem to make it less likely second baseman Freddy Sanchez will begin the season on the disabled list. Sanchez has been limited in the field this spring because of shoulder inflammation, but is batting .364 (16-for-44).