CHICAGO – It took about four months longer than expected, but the Cuban catcher signed by the Braves in the spring finally has his work visa and will report to the team's camp in Orlando before being assigned to a minor-league affiliate.
Yenier Bello, 29, received a $400,000 signing bonus and invitation to major league spring training in early March. But the Cuban defector never made it to spring training, as his arrival from the Dominican Republic to the United States was delayed by visa issues.
He ended up playing in a Mexican league while waiting for the matter to be resolved.
Bello has shown good power and adds more depth at a position where the Braves already have slugger Evan Gattis, veteran backup Gerald Laird, and top prospect Christian Bethancourt, who has impressed over the past two weeks at the big-league level while Gattis has been on the 15-day disabled list.
Laird’s two-year contract is up after the 2014 season, and Bethancourt is too valuable for the Braves to use as a backup and too skilled behind the plate to switch positions. It will be interesting to see whether the Braves make a move with one of their catchers in the offseason – i.e., trade from a position of strength in order to strengthen an area of need.
Gattis has been serviceable defensively and leads major league catchers with 16 home runs and has a .290 average and .900 OPS in his second season and first as the team’s primary catcher. Bethancourt has shown potential to become an above-average hitting catcher in addition to possessing truly elite defensive skills, including a throwing arm that’s arguably as strong or stronger than any other current catcher at any level.
Bello has several years of professional experience in Cuba, and in their highest level – the Serie Nacional – in 2011 he batted .274 with 13 homers during the 90-game season.
