Angels acquire C Martin Maldonado & RHP Drew Gagnon from Milwaukee

The Angels today acquired catcher Martín Maldonado and minor league RHP Drew Gagnon from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for catcher Jett Bandy. Today's announcement was made by Angels General Manager Billy Eppler.
 
Maldonado (first name pronounced mar-TEEN), 30, appeared in 76 games for the Brewers in 2016, batting .202 (42/208) with seven doubles, eight home runs, 21 RBI and 21 runs scored. In his 69 games behind the plate, Maldonado threw out 34.8% of would-be base stealers (16 CS/46 SBA), which was second to former teammate Jonathan Lucroy for tops in the National League (min. 500 inn.) and sixth overall in the Majors. Additionally, Milwaukee pitchers fashioned a 3.91 ERA (559 IP - 243 ER) with Maldonado behind the plate, good for seventh in the N.L., compared to a 4.18 ERA (875.1 IP - 407 ER) with all other Brewer backstops.
 
Maldonado returns to the Angels organization after being selected by the Club in the 27th round of the 2004 draft. The Puerto Rico native made his Major League debut with the Brewers in 2011 and has gone on to hit .217 (209/965) with 35 doubles, a triple, 28 home runs and 111 RBI in 355 games, all with the Brewers. Since the start of the 2012 campaign, his 32% catcher caught stealing rate (58 CS/181 SBA) ranks second in the National League, trailing only Yadier Molina's 35.9% clip.
 
Gagnon (GAHN-yo), 26, spent the majority of the 2016 campaign with Triple-A Colorado Springs in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. In 31 games (four starts), the right-hander logged a 2-1 mark with a 5.56 ERA (55 IP - 34 ER) for the Sky Sox (21 BB, 48 K). Gagnon opened the 2016 season with Milwaukee's Double-A affiliate Biloxi before his promotion to Triple-A in late April (5 G, 1 GS, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 13.1 IP - 0 ER, 4 BB/15 SO).
 
Selected by Milwaukee in the third round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Long Beach State, Gagnon has appeared in 149 career minor leagues games (110 starts) with a 30-38 record, two complete games, one shutout, two saves and a 4.65 ERA (631.1 IP - 326 ER). A native of Columbia, CA, Gagnon was originally selected by Pittsburgh out of Liberty HS (Brentwood, CA) in the 10th round of the 2008 draft. He opted not to sign with the Pirates to pitch collegiately at Long Beach State (2009-11) where he was a two-time All Big West selection. 
 
Bandy, 26, appeared in 70 games for the Angels in 2016 and batted .234 (49/209) with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Behind the plate, Bandy posted a 37.0% caught stealing rate on the season, catching 17 of 46 potential base stealers. The Thousand Oaks, CA native was originally drafted by the Angels in the 31st round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arizona. In 72 career Major League games, he has batted .234 (50/211) with nine home runs and 26 RBI.