The Atlanta Braves have acquired catcher/outfielder Ryan Doumit from the Minnesota Twins for Triple-A left-hander Sean Gilmartin, reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Braves acquire Ryan Doumit from the Twins
Minnesota gets minor league left-hander Sean Gilmartin in return.
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
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Doumit is entering the final season of the three-year, $10 million deal he signed with the Twins before the 2012 season, so he’ll cost the Braves an affordable $3.5 million in 2014.
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The switch-hitter lost much of his pop this past season--he posted a sub-400 SLG for the first time since 2007--but he’s moving to a much more hitter-friendly ballpark in Atlanta, so those numbers should improve some. He hit just .247/.314/.396 with 14 home runs in 135 games in 2013, but averaged a .455 SLG the six seasons before that.
Just where Doumit will get his playing time with the Braves somewhat unresolved. Doumit has always been an unmitigated disaster behind the plate--he’s far and away the worst receiver in baseball--so it seems likely that he’ll see most of his time in a corner outfield spot.
The Braves already have the Uptons and Heyward patrolling the outfield grass, but Doumit could act as insurance if B.J. Upton struggles again out of the gate. If nothing else, he won't be quite as painful to watch in left as Evan Gattis. With Doumit on board, Gattis can now focus all his efforts on getting better behind the plate as he shares catching duties with Gerald Laird and youngster Christian Bethancourt.
Gilmartin, 23, was a first-round pick by the Braves back in 2011. The left-hander made all the way to Triple-A in his first full year in Atlanta’s farm system, but hit a setback in 2013. Gilmartin dealt with shoulder tendinitis for much of the season, resulting in a 5.74 ERA over 17 Triple-A starts. Ranked a top 10 Braves prospect prior to the 2013 season, Gilmartin profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
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