Royals trade speedster Nick Heath to Arizona Diamondbacks for minor-league arm

Less than a week after the Kansas City Royals designated outfielder and speedster Nick Heath for assignment, the club traded him to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a minor-league catcher who now pitches.

Prior to Saturday’s doubleheader, the Royals announced they’d swapped Heath in exchange for 21-year-old right-handed pitcher Eduardo Herrera.

Herrera, who has not played above High-A in the minors, signed with the Diamondbacks as an international free agent in 2016 as a catcher/infielder.

He appeared in his first game as a pitcher in 2019 after 67 games as a position player. He has pitched in just 22 games in the minors and compiled a 4.56 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP, 6.46 walks per nine innings and 14.45 strikeouts per nine innings.

Heath, 27, went to high school in Junction City, Kansas and joined the organization as a 16th-round draft pick out of Northwestern State in 2016.

The Royals added Heath to their 40-man roster following the 2019 season when he led the minors with 60 stolen bases and advanced to Triple-A for the first time in his career.

Last season, Heath made his MLB debut and appeared in 15 games, including several appearances as a pinch runner in late innings. He stole two bases, scored two runs and collected two hits and two walks in 18 plate appearances (13 at-bats).

The Royals bolstered their outfield this offseason with the additions of center fielder Michael A. Taylor through free agency and left fielder Andrew Benintendi through a trade.

They also signed veteran outfielder and speedster Jarrod Dyson during spring training, and they promoted outfielder Kyle Isbel to the Opening Day major-league roster.

Benintendi, Dyson and Isbel are all left-handed hitting outfielders, as is Heath.

Heath began this season assigned to the club’s alternate training site. He was designated for assignment on Wednesday.