Categories: News

Phillies sign former Braves catching prospect

Ben Badler at Baseball America reported Tuesday evening that the Phillies have signed Abrahan Gutierrez, a catcher who was previously in the Braves system but whose contract was voided after Major League Baseball ruled Atlanta broke the rules in the pursuit of international free agents.

The Phillies signed Gutierrez for $550,000, with $350,000 being applied to the organization. The Phils will use this year’s bonus pool money to pay that bonus, not affecting next year’s class.

Gutierrez, 18, from Venezuela, hit .264/.319/.357 in 35 games last season for the Braves’ Gulf Coast League team. For context, Gutierrez was ranked 26th among Braves’ prospects by Talking Chop in July.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.