Evan Gattis expected to replace Brian McCann as Braves' primary catcher in 2014

Catcher Brian McCann is a Yankee, and life moves on in Atlanta, where McCann served as the team's primary catcher -- and a productive one -- for almost nine years.  

Replacing McCann will be Evan "El Oso Blanco" Gattis, writes The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's David O'Brien:

"The Braves have payroll constraints and more than half of their returning players eligible for arbitration and big raises. They have younger, cheaper options at catcher in Evan Gattis and prospect Christian Bethancourt, and have veteran backup Gerald Laird under contract for another year.

"Gattis, who hit .243 and ranked first among major league rookies in RBIs (65) and second in homers (21), is expected to be their primary catcher going into the 2014 season, with Laird as backup."

Gattis, 27, hit .243/.291/.480 in 105 games in his rookie year, with 21 home runs and 65 RBI. He made $490,000 in 2013, and is under team control through 2018. 

Laird hit .281/.367/.372 in 47 games this past season, with one home run and 13 RBI. He made $1.5 million and will make the same in 2014. 

Braves general manager Frank Wren said about Gattis earlier in November:

"(Gattis) did a real nice job catching, he did a real nice job throwing and calling games. We feel comfortable with him back there ... So if Brian McCann were to sign elsewhere, we would be in a situation where we would have those two as well as Bethancourt coming into spring training competing."

ESPN's Keith Law describes Bethancourt as "one of the best defensive catching prospects in the game ... with an incredible arm and plus hands but awful plate discipline." Bethancourt repeated Double A in 2013, and hit .277/.305/.436 in 90 games, with 12 home runs and 45 RBI.  He has a .666 OPS in 161 games and two seasons at Double A.