Atlanta Braves trade Andrelton Simmons to Angels

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels swapped shortstops Thursday in a five-player deal that includes three minor leaguers and cash.

The Braves shipped defensive wizard Andrelton Simmons to the Angels for Erick Aybar, who becomes a free agent after next season.

Atlanta will also get top pitching prospects Sean Newcomb and Christopher Ellis. Newcomb, a 6-foot-5 left-hander, was rated the No. 25 prospect in baseball in ESPN Insider Keith Law’s midseason Top 50 in July.

The other piece going to the Angels is minor league catcher Joe Briceno.

The Braves are also getting $2.5 million for the difference in salaries between the shortstops.

Simmons is arguably the best defensive shortstop in baseball, winning the Gold Glove in 2013 and 2014. He was named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday, his spectacular work in the field offsetting his mediocre offensive skills.

Simmons, 26, hit .265 with four homers and 44 RBIs in 535 at-bats in 2015. He was beaten out by the Giants’ Brandon Crawford for the NL Gold Glove at shortstop.

Simmons is signed through 2020 at salaries of $6 million, $8 million, $11 million, $13 million and $15 million.

Aybar is a 10-year veteran who has spent his entire career with the Angels and has been their starting shortstop since 2008.

Aybar, an All-Star in 2014 and Gold Glove winner in 2011, hit .270 with three home runs and 44 RBIs in 2015.

The Braves had earlier been engaged with the Mets on a potential deal for Simmons, including as recently as Thursday morning at the GM meetings in Florida.

But Atlanta’s asking price for Simmons — one of the Mets’ core-four young pitchers in Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz — was too steep.