Arizona Diamondbacks Notebook-Michael Bourn Traded to Orioles

After Wednesday’s loss to the Giants, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced a trade

Following Wednesday;s game with the Giants, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded outfielder Michael Bourn to the Baltimore Orioles for minor league outfielder Jason Heinrich.

Henrich, 20, hit .231 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 44 games with Class A Short-Season Aberdeen (New York Penn League) this season.

The native of Anchorage, Alaska was selected by the Orioles in the fifth round of the 2015 First Year Player Draft out River Ridge High School in New Port Richey, Florida.

Henrich began his professional career with Gulf Coast League Orioles, Baltimore’s rookie level affiliate. In 45 games, he hit .270 with 2 HR and 23 RBI.

The 6-foot-1 right handed hitter was ranked as the number 188 draft prospect by Baseball America.

This scouting report from MLB.com (published after he was drafted) lays out exactly what the Diamondbacks are adding to their minor-league system.

“The Central Florida commit is a big risk, big reward kind of high school bat, one with a ton of raw power. He’s shown flashes of it during what’s been a rain-soaked senior season for him in Florida, but not with the consistency he showed in Jupiter. He does have the ability to make loud contact and hit for power to all fields. Heinrich’s offensive profile fits best in right field and he does throw enough to be able to stay there. He’s not overly athletic, but he’s far from a sloth on the bases and in the outfield.”

The Diamondbacks signed Bourn to a minor league contract on May 10.

After A.J. Pollock was injured before the season, Arizona had problems finding adequate personnel to play center-field.

At the time, Yasmany Tomas and David Peralta were also injured, and Chip Hale was forced to run out Chris Owings and Brandon Drury, two infielders, in his everyday outfield. This is the main reason why the Diamondbacks outfield defense has been marginal in 2016.

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Bourn, at 33-year-olds, was added for much needed depth, but he provided more value to the Diamondbacks than the organization probably expected at the outset. Bourn, who began his stint in Double-A Mobile, hit .261 with 12 doubles, six home runs, and 30 RBI in 89 games with the Diamondbacks.

Bourn also played great defense in the outfield often making spectacular catches that he was known for earlier in his career. His veteran presence in the clubhouse was felt as well.

The Diamondbacks were concerned about roster spots in September according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Bourn will be a free agent at the end of the season, and figures to not factor into the Diamondbacks 2017 plans.

The Diamondbacks 40-man roster now sits at 39. Active rosters expand from 25 to 40 on Thursday.

Elsewhere…

• After Saturday nights game, right-handed reliever Vicente Campos was optioned back to Triple-A Reno to make room for Shelby Miller who started on Sunday afternoon.
• Campos made his major-league debut last Saturday against the Reds. He gave Chip Hale 5.2 solid innings in a blowout game.
• Campos, 24, could be brought back up to the Diamondbacks when rosters expand tomorrow.
• With Miller back in the rotation, Zach Godley was been moved back to the bullpen.
• Wednesday was the deadline to decide whether or not to renew 2017 options on General Manager Dave Stewart and Assistant General Manager De Jon Watson.
• The Arizona Fall League announced it’s rosters for the 2016 season. Five Diamondbacks prospects have been selected to play for the Salt River Rafters: third baseman Dawel Lugo, second baseman Jamie Westbrook, first baseman Kevin Cron, right-hander Jorge Despaigne, and left-hander Gabe Speier.
• According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Dodgers were interested in reacquiring Zack Greinke before Wednesday night’s deadline for players to be added to postseason rosters.
• The Diamondbacks had scouts in attendance at Tim Tebow’s showcase on the campus of USC.

This is what Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa told the Doug and Wolf Show this morning on Arizona Sports 98.7 F.M.

"“I can’t speak for the A’s and Cubs, but I know the easy answer is you want to cross every T and dot every I,” La Russa said. “We saw a really good athlete that ain’t gonna make it.”"

Here are the probables for the Rockies series in Denver.

Friday: LHP Robbie Ray vs. LHP Jorge De La Rosa

Saturday: RHP Braden Shipley vs. RHP Chad Bettis

Sunday: RHP Archie Bradley vs. RHP Jon Gray

Finally, this was way too funny not to share.

Next: If Hale is fired, Walt Weiss could be his replacement