Josh Donaldson traded to Blue Jays

Josh Donaldson was traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Toronto Blue Jays on November 28, 2014. In exchange the Athletics received Sean Nolin, Brett Lawrie, Kendall Graveman and Franklin Barreto.

Donaldson is a third baseman who played with the Athletics in 2014 as he hit .255/.342/.456 with 29 HR, 98 RBI, 93 R, 8 SB in 158 games. Over four MLB seasons with the Athletics he hit .268/.347/.458 with 63 HR, 228 RBI, 217 R, 17 SB in 405 games. He was originally drafted by the Cubs with the 48th pick of the first round in 2007 and was traded to the Athletics in 2008. Donaldson turned 29 on December 8th.

LHP Nolin split 2014 between Rookie Gulf Coast, Class A Advanced Dunedin, Triple A Buffalo and the Blue Jays. He was 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 K, 0.43 WHIP, .125 BAA in 2.1 IP in 1 game at Gulf Coast, 0-1, 3.68 ERA, 9 K, 1.09 WHIP, .143 BAA in 7.1 IP over 2 games at Dunedin, 4-6, 3.50 ERA, 74 K, 1.25 WHIP, .225 BAA in 87.1 IP over 17 games at Buffalo and 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 0 K, 1.00 WHIP, .250 BAA in 1.0 IP in 1 game with the Blue Jays. Over two seasons of limited MLB experience with the Blue Jays he was 0-1, 27.00 ERA, 0 K, 3.86 WHIP, .571 BAA in 2.1 IP over 2 games. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the sixth round in 2010. Nolin turned 25 on December 26.

Lawrie is a third baseman who split 2014 between Class A Advanced Dunedin while rehabbing and the Blue Jays. He hit .400/.500/.500 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 3 R, 0 SB in 3 games at Dunedin and .247/.301/.421 with 12 HR, 38 RBI, 27 R, 0 SB in 70 games. Over four MLB seasons with the Blue Jays he hit .265/.323/.426 with 43 HR, 157 RBI, 167 R, 29 SB in 345 games. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays with the 16th pick of the first round in 2008. Lawrie turned 25 on January 18.

RHP Graveman split 2014 between Class A Lansing, Class A Advanced Dunedin, Double A New Hampshire, Triple A Buffalo and the Blue Jays, He was 2-0, 0.34 ERA, 25 K, 0.65 WHIP, .126 BAA in 26.1 IP over 4 games at Lansing, 8-4, 2.23 ERA, 64 K, 1.11 WHIP, .243 BAA in 96.2 IP over 16 games at Dunedin, 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 4 K, 1.67 WHIP, .364 BAA in 6.0 IP in 1 game at New Hampshire, 3-2, 1.88 ERA, 22 K, 1.02 WHIP, .245 BAA in 38.1 IP over 6 games at Buffalo and 0-0, 3.86 ERA, 4 K, 0.86 WHIP, .222 BAA in 4.2 IP over 5 games with the Blue Jays. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the eighth round in 2013. Graveman turned 24 on December 21.

Barreto is a shortstop who played in 2014 at Class A Vancouver where he hit .311/.384/.481 with 6 HR, 61 RBI, 65 R, 29 SB in 73 games. He originally signed with the Blue Jays in 2012 as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela. Barreto will be 19 on February 27.