LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Evan Gattis keeps hitting, and the Braves keep talking about finding a roster spot for him.
Gattis came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with a double in the Braves’ 9-5 win against Washington on Tuesday, making him 5-for-9 -- a Grapefruit League-leading .556 -- with two doubles, a home run and two RBIs in four games.
This comes as no surprise to Braves bullpen coach Eddie Perez, who worked with the 240-pound catcher last year in Gattis’ first major league camp. Gattis was moved to left field during the Double-A season and played a little outfield when he wasn’t DHing for his Venezuelan League team this winter, where he was dubbed "El Oso Blanco" (The White Bear).
“I told everyone before spring training started, ‘I’ve got my money on this kid,’” Perez said. “And (hitting coach Greg) Walker said, ‘Really?’ Then we played some games and Walker said, ‘Can you teach him how to catch?’”
Gattis, a 26-year-old prospect who was out of baseball nearly four years, is vying for a spot as a fifth outfielder/backup catcher and pinch-hitter. Perez is a Venezuela native who kept tabs on him this winter, when Gattis hit .303 with a league-leading .595 slugging percentage and tied for the league lead with 16 homers in 195 at-bats.
“With his bat, he might be the third catcher but he’d be my No. 1 hitter from the bench,” Perez said. “He can hit. His bat is unbelievable. He can help anybody right now in the big leagues. It’s about his position. We’re not in the American League. We play (interleague) a lot this year, but you have to find a position for him.”
Gattis caught three innings Monday without incident and Perez, a former defensive-minded Braves catcher, said Gattis’ catching skills have improved and that he was told he didn’t have any problems in the outfield. He’s worked out and played both in left field and behind the plate in the first two weeks of camp.
“He’s not bad out (in the outfield),” Perez said. “He’s not making a spectacular play, but he catches every fly ball he’s supposed to catch. That’s a plus right there. And I don’t mind seeing him catch.”
Pena impresses: The Braves signed utility infielder Ramiro Pena as a free agent this winter after Paul Janish had shoulder surgery that was expected to require a six-month recovery. They signed Pena primarily for his middle-infield defense, especially at shortstop.
So far in camp, Pena’s defense hasn’t disappointed, and he’s has also shown he can hit better than indicated by a .233 career average and .266 on-base percentage in 338 plate appearances in parts of four seasons with the Yankees.
Pena had two singles and a bases-loaded walk in three plate appearances Tuesday. He’s 3-for-9 with a double this spring.
“A utility guy that can play shortstop, that’s No. 1,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He can do that. And a guy who swings from both sides of the plate. He’s put up some pretty good at-bats. We like what we’ve seen out of him.”
Pena has plenty of major league experience at shortstop, third base and second base, and has also played two games in right field in the majors and seven games in center field in the minor leagues.
Pena is penciled in as the primary middle-infield backup to begin the season. Paul Janish is taking batting practice and fielding in workouts, but isn’t expected to be cleared to play until late March or early April.
O'Flaherty update: Reliever Eric O'Flaherty probably won't make his spring-training debut until next week, but Gonzalez said it was only a precautionary measure given the veteran left-hander's history of back issues. Because spring training this year is nearly a week longer than usual, the Braves decided to ease O'Flaherty into games a week later.
