Braves to move catcher Evan Gattis to left field for more at-bats

Atlanta Braves general manager John Hart said the team plans to move catcher Evan Gattis to left field in order for him to receive more at-bats.

Atlanta Braves general manager John Hart said Wednesday the team plans to move catcher Evan Gattis to left field next season, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. 

According to Hart, the purpose of the move is for Gattis to receive more at-bats.

Gattis, 28, split time between the two positions during his rookie year with the Braves in 2013 but was the team's regular catcher in 2014. Justin Upton started in left field. 

"We want to get Evan’s bat in the lineup, and if he catches, he would play just 100 games and we would not have a bat perhaps good enough to hit cleanup for those other games," Hart said, according to the Post. "So we are going to put Evan in left field and see what we have."

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Sherman reports that the Braves have also informed teams they could trade Gattis if the right situation arose. With Gattis' positional move effectively giving Atlanta four outfielders, Upton, B.J. Upton or Jason Heyward could also potentially be traded. Heyward and Justin Upton are entering the final seasons of their contracts.

Gattis hit .263 with 22 home runs, 52 RBI and a .493 slugging percentage in 2014. 

The Braves finished 79-83 in 2014 and tied for second place in the National League East. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

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- Molly Geary