The Braves traded Christian Bethancourt to the Padres on Thursday night for right-handed pitcher Casey Kelly and minor league catcher Ricardo Rodriguez.

Kelly, 26, was ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the Padres’ 30th-best prospect.

Kelly spent the majority of the 2015 season between thePadres’ Triple-A and Double-A affiliates, making a combined 31 appearances, including 17 starts. He posted a 3.13 ERA through his first 15 appearances (one start) of the season and finished the year with a 2-10 record and a 5.16 ERA.

A first-round draft selection in 2008 by the Red Sox, Kelly underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2013 and has a career minor-league record of 24-28 with a 3.98 ERA.

Rodriguez, 17, played at two different rookie levels for the Padres in 2015, his first season in pro ball. The right-handed hitting catcher posted a .266 (29-for-109) batting average.

Click here to read more about the trade from David O'Brien on MyAJC.com

Schultz: A reminder about 'prospects'

If the Braves could be granted one wish for the blur of prospects that they have been acquiring over the past several months, it's this: That they all live up to their billing better than Christian Bethancourt. (Click here to read more)

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease works against an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 13, 2024, in San Diego. (Gregory Bull/AP)

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