Braves to add free-agent catcher Pierzynski

The Braves continued their rebuilding of the roster on Christmas Eve, reaching a one-year deal in the ballpark of $2 million with free-agent catcher A.J. Pierzynski, pending a physical, a person familiar with the decision told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The deal may not be announced till after Jan. 1.

While the club has every intention of giving Christian Bethancourt a shot at winning the starting job in spring training, the signing of Pierzynski gives the Braves a solid backup who could catch extended innings if Bethancourt can’t handle the every day job. At this point, the plan seems to be that Evan Gattis will become the full-time left fielder.

Pierzynski, who will turn 38 next week and was once voted the most hated player in Major League Baseball, is coming off his worst offensive output, batting .251 with five home runs while splitting the 2014 season between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. He is a career .281 hitter in 17 major-league seasons and may be the best offensive catcher remaining among a not particularly strong free-agent group of reserve catchers.