Headlines

  • Juan Soto Open To Extension Discussions With Nationals
  • Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday
  • A’s Designate Adam Kolarek, Option Cristian Pache
  • Blue Jays Sign Sergio Romo
  • Bryce Harper To Undergo Thumb Surgery
  • Royals Trade Carlos Santana To Mariners, Promote Vinnie Pasquantino
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Christian Bethancourt To Continue Pitching In Triple-A

By Steve Adams | April 28, 2017 at 8:21am CDT

The Padres sent catcher/outfielder/reliever Christian Bethancourt outright to Triple-A earlier this week after he cleared waivers with the hope that he’d continue to hone his mound skills, and as Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune writes, Bethancourt has informed general manager A.J. Preller that he is indeed open to that. Bethancourt only recently began experimenting as a pitcher, and Preller tells Lin that the organization involved the 25-year-old in the decision process.

“It’s his career,” Preller tells Lin. “…Talking to him, he said, ‘I want to give it a go.’ I think he understands he can always go back to catching and he wants to see how it plays out on the pitching front if he has regular practice and outings.”

Coming up through the Braves’ system, Bethancourt rated as one of the game’s top 100 prospects as a catcher, thanks largely to his rocket arm. Multiple scouting reports, in fact, placed an 80 grade on his arm (on the 20-80 scouting scale). An issue with passed balls and his struggles at the plate, however, may have contributed to San Diego’s preference to get a look at Bethancourt on the mound; in 489 Major League plate appearances, he’s batted just .222/.252/.316.

Unsurprisingly, Bethancourt is a work in progress on the mound. Though he allowed just two runs in 8 1/3 innings in Spring Training, he also issued four walks against just three strikeouts in that time. His work as a pitcher during the regular season has been unsightly, as Bethancourt has logged a 10.13 ERA with three strikeouts against 11 walks in just 5 1/3 innings. That’s not necessarily indicative of the hard-throwing Bethancourt’s potential on the mound, though. Learning to pitch at the Major League level with scant mound experience elsewhere is obviously a daunting task, which no doubt factored into his removal from the 40-man roster. (Bethancourt was out of minor league options, thus the exposure to outright waivers.) Despite those struggles, Bethancourt did offer a glimpse of his potential on the mound during his 2017 work, as he averaged better than 94 mph on his fastball and topped out at 98 mph (per Brooks Baseball).

According to Lin, Bethancourt will continue to pinch-hit and take batting practice while in Triple-A, but the vast majority of his focus will be on his work as a reliever. “He’ll get a chance to face the next-best league to the big leagues,” says Preller of the decision to throw Bethancourt into the fire of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. “It’s going to be a test for him, but I’m confident as far as him going out and being able to perform.”

If Bethancourt is able to successfully make the transition, he’d join Jason Motte, Chris Hatcher and, most notably, Kenley Jansen as big league relievers that opened their careers as catchers. Carlos Marmol and Troy Percival are other recent examples of relievers who found success after (much more briefly) working as catchers early in their careers.

Share 0 Retweet 11 Send via email0

San Diego Padres Christian Bethancourt

Latest Details On Potential Sale Of Marlins
Main
NL West Notes: Jankowski, Desmond, Hill, Wood, Ethier
View Comments (20)

Comments

  1. davidcoonce74

    5 years ago

    Well, he probably couldn’t be in a worse environment for a pitcher, so this will certainly be a test.

    Reply
    • SixFlagsMagicPadres

      5 years ago

      On the bright side, if he can master the PCL, maybe he will have a chance to stick in a major league bullpen.

      Reply
  2. mikep

    5 years ago

    I thought he was experimenting as a pitcher not a catcher

    Reply
    • Steve Adams

      5 years ago

      Agh, thank you. Yes, he’s new to pitching — I just biffed that sentence early on. Much appreciated.

      Reply
    • tylerall5

      5 years ago

      It’s a typo, they’ll catch it soon.

      Reply
  3. lesterdnightfly

    5 years ago

    What, Bethancourt cleared waivers?!?
    ;>)

    Reply
    • padresfan

      5 years ago

      Loser
      This was already announced like I said

      Reply
    • TheWestCoastRyan

      5 years ago

      And the beat a dead horse award goes to…

      Reply
      • CompanyAssassin

        5 years ago

        Hahahaha

        Reply
  4. Dave W.

    5 years ago

    He’ll be the Padres’ closer in 2020 when they go deep in the playoffs! Hey, one can dream right, it’s the Padres! 😉

    Reply
    • mikep

      5 years ago

      But first he’ll make a leaping catch in the outfield in the bottom of the eight to rob a go ahead hr and then in the top of the ninth he’ll hit the gw hr before closing it out in bottom of 9th to win the World Series

      Reply
      • SixFlagsMagicPadres

        5 years ago

        I can see it now: 2020 World Series MVP, Associated Press sportsmen of the year, ESPY awards, and Time Magazine’s 2020 person of the year.

        Reply
        • lesterdnightfly

          5 years ago

          Except by then, ESPN will have laid off the ESPYs.

        • TheMichigan

          5 years ago

          2020 WS MVP, Cy Young, MVP, Silver Slugger at P, C, and LF.

        • Connorsoxfan

          5 years ago

          And the rest of the company.

  5. thebighurt619

    5 years ago

    Maybe he will find what Jason Lane found.

    Reply
    • JD396

      5 years ago

      I remember the moment, thinking, “Oh, it’s really THAT Jason Lane?”

      Reply
      • lesterdnightfly

        5 years ago

        He was great in “The Producers” and “The Birdcage”. Love him on “Modern Family” too.

        Reply
  6. brood550

    5 years ago

    Hopefully the Padres can help him develop at a position. The Braves did him no favors with all the yo-yoing they did to him. I wouldn’t be surprised if somehow he ends up as the ultimate utility guy. Because when he makes hard contact you can hear how hard it is.

    Reply
  7. ReverieDays

    5 years ago

    “Pitching”

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Juan Soto Open To Extension Discussions With Nationals

    Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday

    A’s Designate Adam Kolarek, Option Cristian Pache

    Blue Jays Sign Sergio Romo

    Bryce Harper To Undergo Thumb Surgery

    Royals Trade Carlos Santana To Mariners, Promote Vinnie Pasquantino

    Major League Baseball Issues 12 Suspensions For Angels – Mariners Brawl

    Cardinals Place Jack Flaherty, Harrison Bader On Injured List

    Bryce Harper Fractures Left Thumb

    Phillies Select Mark Appel

    Daniel Hudson Suffers Season-Ending ACL Injury

    Salvador Perez Undergoes Thumb Surgery

    Cubs Designate Jonathan Villar For Assignment

    Yankees, Aaron Judge Avoid Arbitration

    Giants Acquire Willie Calhoun From Rangers For Steven Duggar

    Recent

    Giants Place Anthony DeSclafani On 15-Day Injured List

    Juan Soto Open To Extension Discussions With Nationals

    Khris Davis Signs With Atlantic League’s Kentucky Wild Health Genomes

    Big Hype Prospects: Rutschman, Carroll, Yorke, Peraza, Tovar

    Brewers Place Adrian Houser On IL With Flexor Strain

    Astros Promote Korey Lee

    Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday

    Royals Claim Ryan Weiss, Designate Matt Peacock For Assignment

    Marlins Select Billy Hamilton, Designate Erik Gonzalez

    Mets Place Chris Bassitt On Injured List

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Trevor Story Rumors
    • Frankie Montas Rumors
    • Michael Conforto Rumors
    • Arbitration Tracker
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • MLB Player Chats
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version