The BoSox received the young infielder from the Washington club on the weekend in exchange for southpaw. The move, reported Saturday evening, sends Mead, young infielder, from Washington's farm system to the Red Sox. Mead, noted as a top prospect, hit strongly while racking up long balls in Triple-A this past year, entering his age-25 run. The trade strengthens Boston's middle-infield depth while Washington gains a left arm for its pitching ranks. Red Sox management has been noisy on the swap scene, looking to upgrade flexibility across the diamond. Those in the know say that Mead brings steady contact tool and quiet defense that fit how the club wants to run its reserve bench. In Washington, adding a starter addresses a gap the team has been hoping to close for some time. The two clubs has commented publicly on future fit for the players involved. For now, the focus moves to how the numbers read, where the fresh faces will try to break camp. Outlook: Boston gets a young bat, Washington gets rotation help, and the baseball sphere monitors how both work out.