The Braves had two prospects chosen to play in the Futures Game, featuring the top minor league prospects around baseball: catcher Christian Bethancourt made it for the third straight year and this time he’ll be joined on the “World” roster by Braves infielder Jose Peraza.
They’ll play against the team made up of U.S.-born players on Sunday July 13 at Target Field in Minneapolis, two days before the major league All-Star game.
Bethancourt has continued to show the Braves progress with his bat this season, to go along with his rare athletic gifts behind the plate. He’s batting .265 in Triple-A Gwinnett, with 11 doubles, one triple, three home runs and 30 RBIs in 59 games.
Peraza’s star continues to rise. The Venezuela native hit .342 in 66 games with high Single-A Lynchburg with 35 stolen bases, earning a promotion to Double-A Mississippi. He had 12 hits in his first five games in Double-A, continuing a 19-game hitting streak he started in Lynchburg dating back to June 1.
Naturally a shortstop, Peraza has been moved to second base by the Braves, and his future with the organization might ultimately be at third base.
“He’s an athletic kid that can hit and has hit at every level he’s been and he can also steal bases,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who has seen Peraza play in the instructional league as well as a handful of spring training at-bats. “He’s got speed and he’s got thievery which is a good combination.”
