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Christian Bethancourt: 2016 Season Is His For the Taking

By Matthew Schoettler

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When Atlanta Braves’ fans first heard the name Christian Bethancourt, they salivated at the mouth over his potential. After struggling over parts of the last three seasons, Bethancourt has finally found his groove at AAA and looks poised to make a big splash moving forward.

Christian Bethancourt opened the 2015 season as the Atlanta Braves’ starting catcher, with A.J. Pierzynski being signed primarily as a backup. However, Bethancourt struggled mightily to open the season, slashing a horrendous .198/.221/.287, effectively relegating him to back up duties.

-= Related: Atlanta Braves: Nick Markakis’ Strong August =-

After losing the starting job to Pierzynski, the Braves believed that Christian Bethancourt would be better equipped in the minors; thus, the team decided to demote him to AAA to ensure him regular playing time. Bethancourt could have sulked at the demotion; however, he found it as a motivational tool and has since been recalled to the big club as of August 24th.

With Pierzynski on a one-year deal with the team, the Braves seem ready to give the once-prized prospect another shot at the end of the season. Although he may not see regular starts for the rest of the season, the call up could play a big role for the youngster moving forward (yes, he is still only 23 years old).

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In 52 games this year at AAA, Bethancourt has an eye-popping slash line of .327/.359/.480, all well above league averages. Although he does not hit for power, Bethancourt has supplied four home runs and 19 doubles during his stint at AAA, showing that he is more than a capable hitter.

Braves’ fans may think this is more of the same with Bethancourt, who normally succeeds in the minors, while struggling when promoted. However, his slash line this season is well above his career minor league slash line of .275/.306/.388, hinting that he is close finding his groove at the plate. If Bethancourt can produce at the plate, alongside his plus, plus defense, he could be a future All Star at the position.

Per FanGraphs, Bethancourt possesses an 80 rated arm, the highest possible score for a player (scale ranges from 20-80). In addition to his elite arm, Christian Bethancourt rates as an above average defender as well, being rated as a 60. With a plus arm and plus fielding, Bethancourt may very well be a great part for a rebuilding Braves franchise moving forward.

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While it would be foolish to expect Christian Bethancourt to hit .300 at the Major League level, the Braves just need him to hit capably and rely more on his defensive skills to contribute to the club. He has similar makeup to Yadier Molina; however, he has a long way to go before he is an elite, well-rounded catcher at the big league level.

Christian Bethancourt very well could be the catcher of the future for the Atlanta Braves, but only time will tell. If his bat can catch up to his glove, he has the potential All-Star potential, so Braves’ fans, do not give up hope yet. He is still young and learning his craft and could be an unsung asset that many have forgotten about, moving forward to 2016.

Next: Mike Foltynewicz: Progressing Quicker Than We Believe?

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