Blue Jays trade Aledmys Diaz to Astros fro Trent Thornton

Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The Toronto Blue Jays have traded infielder Aledmys Diaz to the Houston Astors in exchange for right-handed pitcher Trent Thornton.

Toronto and Houston announced the trade on Saturday.

Diaz has "some versatility, got some power and can do a lot of things. It seems like it's an opportunity for us to improve our team," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow told reporters, according to MLB.com.

Diaz, 28, hit .263 with 18 home runs and 55 RBIs in 130 games last season for the Blue Jays. The infielder was an All-Star in 2016, when he hit .300 with 17 home runs and 65 RBIs in 111 games for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals traded Diaz to the Blue Jays in December, in exchange for J.B. Woodman.

Thornton, 25, has never appeared in a Major League Baseball game. He owns a 4.23 ERA and a 32-19 record in 88 Minor League Baseball appearances.