Houston Astros Officially Announce Ken Giles Trade

The details of the trade that brought Ken Giles to Houston from Philadelphia have been made official:

Astros get Ken Giles & SS Jonathan Arauz from Phillies in exchange for RHPs Mark Appel, Harold Arauz, Eshelman, Velasquez and Obie .

— Brian McTaggart ⚾️ (@brianmctaggart) December 12, 2015

This is different from the return that had been previously-announced.

Though Velasquez, Eshelman, and Oberholtzer were all part of the initial package, we have now learned that 2013's first-overall pick in the draft, Mark Appel, will be headed to Philadelphia instead of Derek Fisher, as was previously reported.

Appel has been a polarizing prospect since even before being picked first by the Astros in the 2013 draft, out of Stanford University. Despite obvious top-of-the-rotation stuff, he has struggled on the mound, and owns a career 5.12 ERA in the minor leagues, with a 1.44 WHIP, 2.99 BB/9, and 7.86 K/9. It was widely assumed that he would compete for a starting job in Houston at some point in 2016.

Harold Arauz was signed as an international free agent from Panama in 2011 for $300,000. He's gained fans while pitching in the Astros' minors, throwing strikes and peppering his repertoire with good secondary stuff, including a low-nineties cutter that generates a lot of weak contact.

We have also learned that the Phillies will be sending an Arauz of their own, shortstop Jonathan, back to the Astros in the deal. Considered by many to be Panama's best young player this season, Arauz put up a 105 wRC+ over 44 games for the Phillies in the Gulf Coast League this year, despite being just sixteen years old. According to Baseball America's Ben Badler, Arauz is a switch-hitter who is better from the left side with gap power, and who has the strong arm and smooth hands to stick at shortstop.