SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The San Francisco Giants announced today that they have traded outfielder Andrew McCutchen plus cash to the New York Yankees in exchange for minor league infielder Abiatal Avelino and minor league right-handed pitcher Juan De Paula.
Avelino, 23, has split the 2018 campaign between double-A Trenton and triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees’ farm system, combining for a .287 batting average (133-for-464) with 65 runs scored, 13 doubles, eight triples, 15 home runs, 66 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 122 games. He was named a mid-season All-Star this year while playing for Trenton and at the time of his promotion to triple-A he ranked second in batting average (.337), fifth in slugging (.553) and OPS (.945), and seventh in on-base percentage (.392) and stolen bases (15). Avelino, who was signed by the Yankees as an International free agent in 2011, ranked sixth in the minors with 54 stolen bases in 2015. The Dominican Republic native was ranked as the Yankees’ 23rd-best prospect according to MLB.com.
De Paula, 20, has spent all of this season with short-season Staten Island in the New York-Penn League, going 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA (9er, 47.1ip) in 10 games (nine starts). Signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Mariners in 2014, De Paula pitched well in two seasons of rookie ball before going to the Yankees in an August 2016 trade for Ben Gamel. Last season he ranked second in the New York-Penn League in opponent average against (.191) while posting a 2.90 ERA in 12 games (11 starts). De Paula was ranked the 26th-best prospect in New York’s farm system by MLB.com.
McCutchen, who was acquired by the Giants from the Pittsburgh Pirates this past January, hit .255 (123-for-482) with 65 runs scored, 28 doubles, 15 home runs, 55 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 130 games with San Francisco this season. He was leading the Giants in games played, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, walks (73) and stolen bases.
The former 2013 National League MVP is a five-time All-Star (2011-15), four-time Sliver Slugger award winner (2012-15), 2012 NL Gold Glove winner and a winner of the Roberto Clemente Award in 2015.
