Three former 'Tees dealt in deal for Greinke

Viera, Fla. - The Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals completed a trade on Sunday that sent three former Brevard County Manatees - shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and relief pitcher Jeremy Jeffress - along with starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi, to the Royals for former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and approximately $2 million in cash considerations.

Escobar played in parts of two seasons for the Manatees in 2006 and 2007. During his time in Brevard County, he played in 150 games with a .286 batting average and 46 stolen bases.

He was named a Florida State League mid-season all-star in 2007 and was also selected to represent the World squad in the 2007 All-Star Futures Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco. In 2009, Escobar was selected to the World team again for the 2009 All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

The 24-year-old from Venezuela made his Major League debut with the Brewers in 2008 and was also called up at the end of the 2009 season. Escobar spent most of the 2010 season as the Brewers starting shortstop and hit .235 with four home runs and 41 runs batted in. Milwaukee signed Escobar as an amateur free agent in 2003.

Cain spent the majority of 2007 and 2008 with the Manatees as he played in 206 games in the two seasons combined with Brevard County. He hit .280 with 85 RBI and a .346 on-base percentage in those two years with the Manatees.

The 24-year-old Valdosta, Ga. native made his Major League debut in July 2010 and played in 46 games for the Brewers and hit .306 with 13 RBI. Milwaukee drafted Cain in the 13th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft out of Tallahassee Community College.

Jeffress spent parts of three seasons in Brevard County including eight appearances in 2010. In his three stints with the Manatees, Jeffress appeared in 28 games with 19 starts. He compiled a 6-7 record with a 3.68 earned run average.

In 122.1 career innings pitched with the Manatees, Jeffress struck out 152 batters. Milwaukee drafted the South Boston, Va. native with the 16th overall pick in the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Odorizzi, who was drafted 32nd overall by the Brewers in the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft, was named Milwaukee's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2010. He spent the season with Class A Wisconsin and went 7-3 with a 3.43 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 120.2 innings pitched.

For more information on the Brevard County Manatees, call (321) 633-9200 or visit ManateesBaseball.com.