Heirs Apparent

When the Braves let 7-time All Star catcher Brian McCann leave as a free agent, it was a show of confidence in two young players: Panamanian-born prospect Christian Bethancourt (above -- seen in 2013 Spring Training) and Evan Gattis, (below) who hit 21 homers splitting his rookie season between the outfield and catching. For a cost-conscious ballclub, having two young players deemed ready made it easy to pass on an $85-million deal that could vest to six-years and $100-million at a position that wears bodies down at a faster pace than any other.

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