LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have traded catcher Diego Cartaya to the Minnesota Twins for minor league right-handed pitcher Jose Vasquez.
Vasquez played in the Dominican Summer League for two seasons, participating in 11 games last season. The new right-handed pitcher for the Dodgers had a record of 5-2, with an 8.05 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 57 innings.
Cartaya was designated for assignment by the Dodgers to make space on the 40-man roster for Hyeseong Kim. Following this decision, the Dodgers had seven days to trade him in order to gain something in return for a catcher they once believed could be the next Mike Piazza.
Cartaya played in 93 games last year, splitting time between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. Cartaya had a batting average of just .189 with 19 home runs and 10 doubles over the 93 games played for Double-A Tulsa before his promotion to Triple-A.
After being promoted in June, he concluded the season with a .643 OPS and six home runs. Overall, he has participated in 363 minor league games for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers signed Cartaya as an international free agent in 2018, coming from Maracay, Venezuela.
It appears that pressure was hindering Cartaya's progress in the minors. The Dodgers are not rushing to promote another catcher to the major leagues, but there is always increasing pressure to consistently improve on the field.
