All Braves manager Freddie Gonzalez knows about Touki Toussaint is what he gathered from watching a YouTube video of the pitching prospect the day after the Braves acquired him from the Diamondbacks.
There’s a chance Bronson Arroyo, the other player acquired in the trade late Saturday, never even pitches for the Braves because he’s still recovering from Tommy John surgery and has a contract buyout for next season.
Essentially, the only short-term impact of the trade for the Braves is that utility infielder Phil Gosselin is headed to Arizona. But he has been on the disabled list since May 18 with a thumb injury and his role has been ably filled by Pedro Ciriaco.
Entering Sunday Ciriaco was hitting .289 (13-for-45) with two doubles and a triple in 23 games. He has started four games at third base, two at shortstop and one at second base.
“I think the role Ciriaco has done here so far, we feel comfortable that he can do that job,” Gonzalez said Sunday.
If the Braves end up needing another utility infielder this season, Gonzalez said they could turn to prospect Daniel Castro now or Jose Peraza in the future. Both players are at Triple-A Gwinnett. Castro already has played one game for the Braves this season.
The Braves are hoping Arroyo can pitch sometime in August but Arroyo told reporters in Arizona he doesn’t know if he will pitch this year. Toussaint, 19, was pitching in the Midwest League (Single-A) for the Diamondbacks.
Gosselin, 26, had surgery to repair a fractured thumb and isn’t expected to return until after the All-Star break. He hit.282 with a .321 on-base percentage in 185 plate appearances over parts of three seasons with the Braves.
The Braves selected Gosselin the fifth round of the 2010 draft out of the University of Virginia. Gonzalez said he spoke to Gosselin on the phone Sunday morning.
“He’s a baseball player and he will have a great opportunity wherever he goes because people like baseball players,” Gonzalez said. “He’s going to go over there and it’s almost the same dynamic as here (because) the president of baseball operations there is Tony La Russa. (Braves president) John Hart is a baseball guy. They all love the analytics but here’s a guy (Gosselin) you watch him play, and you’ve got to like him.”
