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)

About the Author

Keep Reading

Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder (55) delivers against the the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth inning of a game Thursday, July 3, 2025 at Truist Park. (Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Featured

UPS driver Dan Partyka delivers an overnight package. As more people buy more goods online, the rapid and unrelenting expansion of e-commerce is causing real challenges for the Sandy-Springs based company. (Bob Andres/AJC 2022)

Credit: TNS