MIAMI – The Miami Marlins today announced the club has acquired INF/OF Vidal Bruján and RHP Calvin Faucher from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Minor League prospects INF Erick Lara, RHP Andrew Lindsey, and a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Bruján, 25, split time between Tampa Bay and Triple-A Durham last season, appearing in 37 games with the Rays and 59 with the Bulls. The versatile fielder appeared in 12 games at second base, 4 at shortstop, 3 in right field, and 1 at third base. With Triple-A Durham, he posted a .272 average with 11 doubles, 4 triples, 10 homers and 19 stolen bases.
The San Pedro de Macoris native was a top prospect in the Rays organization, ranking in the top five in 2020-22 and was ranked in Baseball America’s Pre-Season Top 100 prospect list for four consecutive years (2019-22). He was named to the 2021 SiriusXM Futures Game and is a two-time Rays Organization All-Star in 2018 and 2019.
The switch-hitting utility player owns a career .287 batting average in 624 Minor League games over eight professional seasons with 134 doubles, 36 triples, 47 home runs, and 240 stolen bases since signing with Tampa Bay as an International free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2014.
Faucher, 28, appeared in 17 games with Tampa Bay last season, including four outings as an opener. He also spent time with Durham, going 0-1 with a 1.04 ERA across eight outings (1 start). The reliever began the season on the Rays’ Opening Day roster.
The right-hander has made 39 MLB appearances across two seasons with Tampa Bay, going 3-4 with a 6.32 ERA. Over his Minor League career, he has a 14-11 record and 3.95 ERA in 150 outings (8 starts), with 273 strikeouts in 236.2 innings pitched, with just 121 walks.
The native of Chula Vista, Calif. was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of California – Irvine. He was then traded to Tampa Bay in 2021 with OF Nelson Cruz in exchange for RHP Joe Ryan and RHP Drew Strotman.
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