catching on

You can never have too much pitching, or so they say. They might also say you can never have too much catching. Major league organizations are always on the hunt for catchers to stock their minor league system — and Atlanta may have found a good one in, of all places, Australia. Mississippi Braves catcher Matt Kennelly, a 22-year-old from East Freemantle in western Australia, is more than holding his own in his first Double-A season. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound backstop is hitting .288 with two homers and eight RBIs in 25 games. Signed as a free agent by the Braves in 2005, Kennelly’s minor league numbers were nothing to shout about until last year, when he batted .266 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in high-A ball. He made the M-Braves in the spring and has continued to swing it well. His cohort at catcher, Venezuelan Jesus Sucre, is considered the better defensive player, but Kennelly has been solid in that area. The two young catchers are charged with handling a pitching staff loaded with prospects. The staff ERA currently sits at 3.93, third in the Southern League, so they must be doing something right back there.
P.S. Newly arrived Arodys Vizcaino (see previous post) will make his Double-A debut tonight against Mobile. First pitch is 7:05 at Trustmark Park in Pearl.