Christian Bethancourt

Christian Bethancourt

Bethancourt with the Atlanta Braves (2014)
San Diego Padres
Catcher
Born: (1991-09-02) September 2, 1991
Panama City, Panama
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 29, 2013, for the Atlanta Braves
MLB statistics
(through 2015 season)
Batting average .219
Home runs 2
Runs batted in 21
Teams

Christian Gabriel Bethancourt (born September 2, 1991) is a Panamanian professional baseball catcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Atlanta Braves.

Career

Minor leagues

Bethancourt was signed as a non-drafted international free agent and began his minor league career at the age of 16 in 2008.[1] He was named the seventh-most-promising catching prospect in baseball by MLB.com prior to the 2012 season.[2]

Bethancourt played for the Mississippi Braves of the Class AA Southern League in 2012. He was named to the All-Star Futures Game.[3][4] On August 9, 2012, Bethancourt broke his left hand when he was hit with a pitch.[5] The Braves added him to their 40-man roster after the 2012 season.[6]

Carlos Correa (left) and Christian Bethancourt at the 2013 All-Star Futures Game

Bethancourt again played for Mississippi in 2013 and made his second All Star Futures Game roster.[3] Following the end of the minor league season, he was promoted and joined the Atlanta Braves on September 9, 2013.[7][8] Bethancourt made his major league debut against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 29, 2013. He struck out in his only at bat.[9]

Atlanta Braves

In 2014, Bethancourt began the year with the Gwinnett Braves of the Class AAA International League, and made his third consecutive All Star Futures Game on June 24.[3] He was promoted to the major leagues when Evan Gattis went on the disabled list on June 28.[10] He recorded his first major league RBI on July 1, against Daisuke Matsuzaka.[11] Bethancourt batted .240 with the Braves in 13 games, and was demoted to the minor leagues on July 21, when Gattis was activated from the disabled list.[12] He was to be promoted back to the Braves on September 2.[13][14]

In spring training in 2015, the Braves said Bethancourt would have to be assessed before he would be given the position of primary catcher.[15] On June 6, Bethancourt hit his first career home run in the bottom of the 9th inning, off of Vance Worley, to give the Braves a 5–4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.[16] Bethancourt appeared in 29 games for the Braves in early 2015, batting .208/.231/.297 with a .528 OPS and six passed balls, before being sent to back down to AAA Gwinnett on June 15 after he made a series of defensive mistakes and failed to hit.[17][18] At the time, according to ESPN Stats he was ranked 66th out of 82 qualifiers in catcher's ERA (4.50).[15] He also was ranked third among National League catchers in most passed balls and tied for fourth in errors (3) while playing in only 29 games.[15] He was recalled on August 24.[19] On October 5, Bethancourt underwent knee surgery for a torn meniscus.[20][21]

San Diego Padres

On December 10, 2015, Bethancourt was traded to the San Diego Padres for right hander Casey Kelly and Ricardo Rodriguez.[22]

References

  1. ↑ Ballew, Bill (October 30, 2009). "Atlanta Braves Top 10 Prospects Scouting Reports". Baseball America. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  2. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (January 20, 2012). "Prospect Watch: Top 10 catchers". MLB.com. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Walton, Carroll Rogers (June 24, 2014). "Bethancourt, Peraza tabbed for Futures game". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  4. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (June 21, 2012). "Prospects pack rosters for 2012 All-Star Futures Game". MLB.com. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  5. ↑ Bowman, Mark. "Catching prospect Bethancourt breaks hand". Atlanta.braves.mlb.com. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  6. ↑ Rogers, Carroll (November 20, 2012). "Bethancourt among five minor leaguers added to 40-man". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  7. ↑ Rodgers, Carroll (September 9, 2013). "Bethancourt joins Braves in Miami". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  8. ↑ Bowman, Mark (May 24, 2013). "Bethancourt called up to get a taste of big leagues". MLB.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  9. ↑ Rogers, Carroll (September 29, 2013). "Bethancourt gets first major league at-bat". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  10. ↑ Hernandez, Erica (July 19, 2014). "Christian Bethancourt on Evan Gattis’ looming return". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ Odum, Charles (July 1, 2014). "Mets' struggles continue in 5–4 loss to Braves". U-T San Diego. Associated Press. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ Dorado, Juan (July 21, 2014). "Atlanta Braves Option Christian Bethancourt to Gwinnett". MILB.com. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  13. ↑ McCartney, Cory (September 1, 2014). "Braves call up five, including Bethancourt". Fox Sports. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  14. ↑ Vivlamore, Chris (September 2, 2014). "Bethancourt call-up gives Braves added flexibility". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 "Braves send struggling Bethancourt to Triple-A". www.albanyherald.com.
  16. ↑ Nesbitt, Stephen J. (July 6, 2015). "Pirates lose to Braves, 5–4, on walk-off home run". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  17. ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 15, 2015). "Braves option Bethancourt, call up Lavarnway". MLB.com. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  18. ↑ Fox Sports. "Braves demote Bethancourt to Triple-A Gwinnett, call up Lavarnway". FOX Sports.
  19. ↑ Cooper, Jon (August 24, 2015). "Bethancourt recalled, will see playing time". MLB.com. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  20. ↑ O'Brien, David (October 7, 2015). "Braves catcher Bethancourt has arthroscopic knee surgery". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Braves catcher Bethancourt undergoes knee surgery to repair torn meniscus". Fox Sports. October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  22. ↑ Bowman, Mark (December 10, 2015). "Bethancourt traded to Padres for Kelly". MLB.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.

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