Dodgers send Miguel Sulbaran to Twins to complete Drew Butera trade

The Dodgers completed their July 31 trade for catcher Drew Butera on Tuesday, and amazingly the cost was more than a warm body. Miguel Sulbaran, a 19-year-old left-handed pitcher enjoying a fine season with Class-A Great Lakes, was sent to the Twins as the player to be named later.

Sulbaran was rated by Brandon Lennox as the Dodgers' 31st best prospect before the season, and as one of the youngest players in the Midwest League was 6-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 23 games with the Loons, including 16 starts. Sulbaran had 85 strikeouts and 27 walks in 92⅔ innings.

The 5'10" left-hander was signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in 2011.

"Listed at just 5’10" it’s hard to imagine that Miguel will ever turn into a big time prospect," Lennox wrote in April, "But reports are that has a low 90’s fastball to go along with a solid slider and curve so you never know."

Sulbaran is a lot to give up for Butera, who while considered a solid defensive catcher is nothing more than organizational depth and will only be a third catcher in September when rosters expand.

In 186 major league games Butera, 30, has hit .182/.230/.263. His career 36 OPS+ is the third worst in MLB since 1901 among non-pitchers with at least 500 plate appearances.

Butera has used options in 2009, 2012 and 2013, so he is out of options after this season.

Sulbaran will report to the Class-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, the Twins' affiliate in the Midwest League.