Pirates acquire Jayson Aquino from Blue Jays

The Pirates have announced that they've acquired lefty Jayson Aquino from the Blue Jays for cash considerations, and that they've optioned Aquino to Bradenton. The Jays designated Aquino for assignment last week, three months after acquiring him in a trade with the Rockies.

Aquino, 22, mostly posted respectable numbers as he slowly climbed the ladder in the Rockies system. His 7.9 career K/9 in the minors is a bit low, but only a bit, and he's always had reasonable control and has posted good ground ball numbers. This season, he had a 2.81 ERA with 16 strikeouts and six walks in 25.2 innings at Class A+ Dunedin.

Aquino apparently doesn't have shutdown stuff, which isn't surprising given those numbers. Still, a lefty who throws three pitches, has reasonable control and gets ground balls can do perfectly well for himself -- just ask Jeff Locke. The best-case scenario for Aquino is probably something like becoming the next Locke once Locke himself gets too expensive. Aquino will need to occupy a 40-man roster spot unless the Pirates sneak him through waivers at some point.