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Braves trade Whalen, Povse to Mariners for Alex Jackson, PTBNL

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

The Atlanta Braves have acquired outfield prospect Alex Jackson and a player to be named later from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for right-hander Rob Whalen and minor-league pitcher Max Povse.

Jackson was Seattle's sixth-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The outfielder slashed .243/.332/.408 with 11 home runs in 92 games this past season in Single-A, and Braves general manager John Coppolella is optimistic about the 20-year-old's future.

"We value upside, and we believe Alex has a lot of it," Coppolella told The Associated Press. "We believe in the potential and the person, and we are excited for his future with our organization."

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto, who said Sunday his team was looking to add just one more starting pitcher, was content about the depth Whalen and Povse will give Seattle.

"This move gives us two young, polished pitchers who immediately bolster our starting pitching depth, while adding to our roster flexibility," Dipoto said Monday in a press release by the Mariners.

Whalen made his MLB debut in 2016, pitching to a 6.57 ERA in five starts with the Braves. Povse, meanwhile, went a combined 9-6 in 26 starts between Single-A and Double-A this season, crafting a 3.36 ERA.

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