The Mariners traded infielder Yuniesky Betancourt to the Royals today in exchange for RHP Daniel Cortes and LHP Derrick Saito. Betancourt was hitting .250 with 2 home runs and 22 RBIs. Cortes will report to Double-A West Tennessee while Saito joins the Mariners' Class-A farm club in Clinton, Iowa. Cortes, 22, was the Royals Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2008 and was rated as the Royals' top pitching prospect entering the '09 season by Baseball America. Saito had a 2-6 record, 4.26 ERA and one save for Class-A Burlington this season.
Filed under: