It may have taken until hours before the trade deadline, but the Atlanta Braves have acquired the piece they needed in the form of Astros center fielder Michael Bourn. Ken Rosenthal tweets that the deal is done, and an announcement will be forthcoming. Atlanta will send four minor leaguers to the Astros.
According to Jayson Stark, the four minor leaguers the Braves traded are LHP Brett Oberholtzer, CF Jordan Schafer, RHP Paul Clemens, and RHP Juan Abreu. The Braves just got a great player in Bourn without having to give up any of their top five pitching prospects. Oberholtzer is the gem here, but projects as nothing more than a mid-rotation starter. Clemens projects as mid-to-back of the rotation. Abreu is a good relief arm, and we all know what Schafer can and cannot do.
Oberholtzer is the top-rated prospect, and ranked 7th on the Talking Chop mid-season top-25. Clemens ranked 10th, and Abreu ranked 23rd. This is what Scouting The Sally had to say about the prospects in the deal: "had Oberholtzer and Clemens pegged as sell high's. Spoke to scout who said Braves pumping Ober. for deal." The Astros were selling Bourn at the apex of his value, so it's fitting that the Braves did the same for the prospects they dealt.
Bourn is under team control through next season, so this is not a rental, the Braves have acquired a leadoff man for this year and next. A true leadoff man is something the Braves have been lacking for a while, and they got one of the best in the game in Bourn.
This is a great trade for the Braves!