The Cubs and Nationals swapped minor league pitchers on Monday. Chicago sent Matt Avery to Washington for southpaw Ryan Buchter according to a report from the Associated Press. Avery was the college roommate of Nationals’ third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
Avery was 1-1 with a 1.17 ERA in 5 games for the Daytona Cubs last season and was 4-2 with a 4.46 ERA in 32 games for the Tennessee Smokies. Buchter was 2-0 and did not allow an earned run in 4 games in rookie ball before posting a 2-2 record with a 3.26 ERA in 13 games out of the pen for Class-A Hagerstown in 2008. Matt Avery (25 years old) was the Cubs 9th round pick (280th overall) in 2005 and Ryan Buchter (21 years old, 22 in February) was the Nationals 33rd round pick (984th overall) in 2005.