Yankees Trade Lucas Luetge to Braves For Two Minor League Players

New York designated Luetge for assignment last week, sending him to another contender while acquiring two minor league players in return.

The Yankees traded reliever Lucas Luetge to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for two prospects, the team announced on Wednesday night.

Luetge was designated for assignment by the Yankees last week, a move that made space on the 40-man roster for reliever Tommy Kahnle, who returned to New York in free agency this winter.  

Atlanta is sending right-hander Indigo Diaz and middle infielder Caleb Durbin to the Yankees in the trade. 

Diaz, 24, is Atlanta's No. 22 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The right-hander posted a 3.08 ERA over 49.2 innings pitched out of the bullpen with Double-A Mississippi this year. He's a product of Michigan State, drafted in the 27th-round pick by Atlanta in 2019.

Durbin is coming off his first full season in Atlanta's minor league system, a campaign in which he slashed .241/.352/.372 (92-for-382) with 72 runs, eight home runs and 31 steals in 105 combined games with Single-A Augusta and High-A Rome. The 22-year-old plays every infield position except for first base, a 14th-round pick from last year's draft out of Washington University in St. Louis.

Meanwhile, the Braves are adding a feel-good story and an effective lefty to their bullpen. Luetge pitched to the tune of a 2.71 ERA over 129.2 innings in his two seasons in a Yankees uniform, inducing weak contact at an elite rate. He was a revelation in pinstripes, ending a six-year journey back to the big leagues.

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