NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Kansas City Royals have swapped pitchers with the Astros, sending right-hander Dylan Coleman to Houston in exchange for minor league right-hander Carlos Mateo.
The teams announced the trade Wednesday during the winter meetings.
Mateo, who puts the Royals' reserve list at 39, turns 20 on Dec. 16. He played seven games in the Gulf Coast League this year, striking out 12 batters in 8⅔ innings. Mateo made his professional debut with the Dominican Summer League Astros Orange in 2022.
He went 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA over 271⅓ innings with 33 strikeouts. He allowed only 13 walks.
Coleman, 27, was 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA over 92⅔ innings in 96 games over parts of three seasons with Kansas City, including 23 games this year as he split time between Triple-A Omaha and the Royals.
The 6-foot-5 pitcher has mostly worked as a reliever. He was at his best in 2022 going 6-2 in 68 relief appearances. In three career appearances against Houston that season, he threw three scoreless innings.