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Angels acquire corner infielder Jefry Marte from Tigers for Kody Eaves

Detroit's Jefry Marte is congratulated after scoring against the Chicago White Sox on Oct. 4.
Detroit’s Jefry Marte is congratulated after scoring against the Chicago White Sox on Oct. 4.
(Jon Durr / Getty Images)
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The Angels made a minor trade Wednesday, acquiring corner infielder Jefry Marte, who played 33 games in the big leagues last season, from the Detroit Tigers for infielder Kody Eaves, who has not played higher than the Class-A level in four minor league seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Marte, who plays first base and third base and bats right-handed, hit .213 with four homers and 11 runs batted in over 80 at-bats with the Tigers in 2015.

The 24-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has a .259 average with 59 homers and 368 RBIs across eight minor league seasons with the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Tigers. He is expected to open the 2016 season at triple-A Salt Lake and provide organizational depth at the corner-infield spots.

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General Manager Billy Eppler said the acquisition of Marte was not an indication that first baseman Albert Pujols has hit any kind of snag in his recovery from November surgery to repair the plantar plate in his right foot.

Marte, Eppler said, is “a player who has value to us. He has youth, upside and gives us roster flexibility.”

Eaves, 22, a 16th-round pick out of Pasadena High School in Texas in 2012, hit .262 with 24 homers and 159 RBIs across four seasons in the Angels’ system. He bats left-handed and plays second base and third base.

To make room for Marte on the 40-man roster, middle infielder Ronald Torreyes, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees on Monday, was designated for assignment.

Twitter: @MikeDiGiovanna

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