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MIAMI, FL - JUNE 29:  Andrew Heaney #25 of the Miami Marlins pitches during a game against the Oakland Athletics at Marlins Park on June 29, 2014 in Miami, Florida.  (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 29: Andrew Heaney #25 of the Miami Marlins pitches during a game against the Oakland Athletics at Marlins Park on June 29, 2014 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Andrew Heaney to Angels: Latest Trade Details, Scouting Report and Reaction

Adam WellsDec 10, 2014

The Los Angeles Dodgers traded Dee Gordon to the Miami Marlins for a package that included prized southpaw Andrew Heaney on Wednesday only to flip Heaney to the Angels later in the evening.

The Dodgers spelled things out in official terms on Twitter:

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Heaney tweeted about his brief time with the Dodgers:

This is a surprise move for all sides. The Marlins, who have been trying to build their system with young pitching, have given up their top guy for a middle infielder who had a good first half (.292/.344/.398) before falling back to his career line after the All-Star break (.284/.300/.348). 

There's also the matter of whether or not Haren will pitch in Miami, which Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports may not happen:

The Angels are likely to be doing cartwheels in their offices right now, as they are getting a cost-controlled left-handed starter who ranks 18th on MLB.com's list of top 100 prospects with this scouting report:

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Heaney's fastball sits in the low 90s, and it reaches 95 mph regularly. He mixes it with a wipeout slider and a changeup that has developed into a good third pitch. The improvement of Heaney's changeup has given him a weapon to combat right-handed hitters, and he actually performed better against them than he did against left-handed hitters in 2013.

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Kiley McDaniel of FanGraphs tweeted out a similar scouting report for Heaney, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2012 draft, which also includes a video of the southpaw in action:

For the record, MLB scouting works on a 20-80 scale, with 50 being average. McDaniel's evaluation gives Heaney a plus fastball, plus slider, above-average changeup and average to above-average fastball command. 

The Angels were able to take advantage of the Dodgers' need for a second baseman, though it's likely the two sides had a wink-wink agreement in place. Kendrick is one of the best all-around second basemen in baseball but is 31 years old; that the Dodgers were willing to flip Heaney speaks to their desire to compete now. 

Heaney appeared in seven games (five starts) with the Marlins last year, posting a 5.83 ERA with 20 strikeouts and seven home runs allowed in 29.1 innings, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Heaney also made 24 starts in the minors, 15 at Triple-A, so it's not like there's much development needed before he's ready to go. He's going to need an adjustment in transitioning to the more difficult American League West, but he's a young stud with a ton of plus stuff. It's possible the Angels bring him along slowly, starting him in the minors before bringing him back up midseason. 

Of course, that wouldn't be the most prudent move for an Angels outfit trying to compete for a World Series. They came into the winter in desperate need for pitching. Their willingness to part with a mainstay like Kendrick shows the organization has high expectations for Heaney—and not just over the long term.

Odds are he'll be with the big club right away, barring some spring training catastrophe. 

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

Rookie's No-Hit Bid Ends in 9th 🤏

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