This post was originally published on this site.
Mike Hazen gives update on where Diamondbacks stand at Winter Meetings
Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen breaks down where the team is at in terms of building the 2026 roster this winter.
The Arizona Diamondbacks traded left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, Dec. 19, in exchange for 22-year-old outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu, a ninth-round draft pick in 2023.
Owusu-Asiedu hit .258 with seven home runs and 33 stolen bases in 107 games, splitting his 2025 season among Philadelphia’s Class A and High-A affiliates.
“We like his upside,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said of Owusu-Asiedu soon after the trade was announced. “He’s got power potential, he’s a big kid, he can run, he hits the ball really hard.
“The performance within his ability to cut down on strikeouts, get on base, we feel like he’s an intriguing prospect.”
The move created a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly, whom the Diamondbacks officially announced as having returned to the team via free agency on Dec. 19.
Backhus, 27, made his big-league debut for the Diamondbacks last season and pitched in 32 games — all in relief — accumulating a 4.62 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings.
The Republic’s José M. Romero contributed to this report.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)