Mariners Complete Riley O'Brien Trade, Send Luis Chevalier to Reds as PTBNL

Chevalier signed a minor league contract with the Mariners back in 2018 and most recently played in the Arizona Complex League last season. There, the 20-year old switch-hitter slashed .221/.345/.329 with three home runs and a wRC+ of 86. He primarily played second base (198 innings), but has gotten some run at shortstop (79 innings) and left field (48 innings) as well.

O'Brien, meanwhile, was designated for assignment by Seattle to make room on its 40-man roster for left-handed reliever Roenis Elías on May 27. He has since cleared waivers and been outrighted back to Triple-A Tacoma, where he's tossed 10 innings of relief to the tune of 10 strikeouts and three earned runs allowed on five hits. Walks, however, have been a major problem area for the former eighth-round draft pick, who's issued a whopping 11 free passes thus far.

The Mariners promoted O'Brien to their major league roster back in early May, and he made one relief appearance during an 8-2 blowout loss to the visiting Rays. He put together a scoreless inning of work with a strikeout, a walk and one hit allowed. Seattle sent him back down the minors a day later for right-handed pitcher George Kirby. 

This is the second time in the calendar year the Mariners have shipped a player to be named later to the Reds. To finalize the deal that sent third baseman Eugenio Suárez and outfielder Jesse Winker to Seattle this past offseason, Cincinnati selected right-handed pitching prospect Connor Phillips from a list of players, adding the 2020 Competitive Balance Round B selection to a return made up of left-handed pitching prospect Brandon Williamson, right-handed pitcher Justin Dunn and outfielder Jake Fraley.