The Kansas City Royals have traded right-handed pitcher Jonathan Heasley to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Minor League right-handed pitcher Cesar Espinal. This move was made to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Cesar Espinal, an 18-year-old Dominican Republic native, played in nine games (eight starts) for the Dominican Summer League Orioles Orange in 2023. He posted a 2-1 record with a 3.18 ERA, accumulating 34 strikeouts and 11 walks in 34 innings. Over two summers with the DSL Orioles, Espinal has a career 4.02 ERA.
Jonathan Heasley, originally drafted by the Royals in the 13th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, pitched in 36 games (24 starts) over three seasons with Kansas City, recording a 5.45 ERA. In the previous season, he made 12 relief appearances and allowed 13 runs (12 earned) for a 7.20 ERA. The Royals had likely considered Heasley for a bullpen spot in the upcoming Spring Training, but with offseason additions to the bullpen, the decision was made to move him to the Orioles.
