Braves deal Andrelton Simmons to Angels for Erick Aybar in SS swap

— -- The Braves and Los Angeles Angels swapped shortstops Thursday in a deal that also sends two minor league pitchers to Atlanta, sources have told ESPN.

The Braves will ship  Andrelton Simmons to the Angels for Erick Aybar and a pair of minor league pitching prospects.

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

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

Aybar, a 2014 All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2011, is a 10-year veteran who has spent his entire career with the Angels. He hit .270 with three home runs and 44 RBIs in 2015.

Sources said the two minor league pitchers heading to Atlanta are  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 Braves had earlier in the day 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.

Information from ESPN's Buster Olney, Jerry Crasnick and Adam Rubin was used in this report.