Angels Trade Hank Conger To Astros For Pair of Minor Leaguers

American League West foes Los Angeles and Houston swapped players on Wednesday as the Astros traded pitcher Nick Tropeano and minor league catcher Carlos Perez in exchange for catcher Hank Conger

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Nick Tropeano began Wednesday as a member of a last place team, yet will end it as a member of a first place squad, as he and minor league catcher Carlos Perez were traded by the Houston Astros to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in exchange for catcher Hank Conger.

Tropeano led the Pacific Coast League with a 3.03 ERA and started the Astros’ final game of the regular season in front of family and friends in New York. He was projected to compete for one of the back end spots of the Astros’ rotation next spring, yet will find himself in a similar role with the Angels.

Conger, the Angels’ first round pick in 2006, had been an Astros target for some time, yet Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow stressed immediately that Conger is strictly the backup to Jason Castro.

“Castro is our primary catcher and that hasn’t changed and that’s not going to change,” Luhnow said. “But Conger’s a switch hitter and provides a different look and we feel like he’s a good piece to have.

Conger’s bat does scream “backup catcher.” He hit .221 with four homers and 25 RBI in 80 games last season and is a career .224 hitter with 17 homers and 71 RBI over 251 games.

The trade of Tropeano opens a spot in the Astros’ rotation, leading to speculation that Luhnow will target an experienced arm or two this winter, although no one in their right mind believes the team will go after the likes of Jon Lester or Max Scherzer.

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