Reviewing each of the significant trades that General Manager A.J. Preller completed leading up to and during the 2016 season.

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A year earlier, a lack of organizational options forced the Padres to call up top prospect Austin Hedges to back-up Derek Norris behind the plate. In 2016, Preller made one final deal as he departed the Winter Meetings, flipping one of his compromised assets for one that had apparently worn out his welcome in Atlanta.

LEAVING SAN DIEGO

RHP Casey Kelly: Boston’s 30 th -round pick in 2008, he arrived alongside 1B Anthony Rizzo as the chief return in the deal sent 1B Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox in the winter of 2010. Kelly debuted two years later, underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2013 and didn’t return to the majors until the end of the 2015 season (7.94 ERA in 11.1 IP). In his first year in the Braves’ organization, the 27-year-old Kelly spent most of the season at Triple-A Gwinnett (3.53 ERA in 74 IP) despite pitching in more games in the majors than ever, albeit mostly in relief. The results, however, proved spotty: 14 earned runs on 30 hits, seven walks and just seven strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.

-round pick in 2008, he arrived alongside 1B Anthony Rizzo as the chief return in the deal sent 1B Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox in the winter of 2010. Kelly debuted two years later, underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2013 and didn’t return to the majors until the end of the 2015 season (7.94 ERA in 11.1 IP). In his first year in the Braves’ organization, the 27-year-old Kelly spent most of the season at Triple-A Gwinnett (3.53 ERA in 74 IP) despite pitching in more games in the majors than ever, albeit mostly in relief. The results, however, proved spotty: 14 earned runs on 30 hits, seven walks and just seven strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. C Ricardo Rodriguez: Viewed as the top catching prospect in the 2014-2015 international free agent class, the 18-year-old Rodriguez began his stay in the Braves organization in the rookie Gulf Coast League. There, he hit .225/.284/.275 with seven RBIs in 29 games. Rodriguez is a .246/.314/.332 hitting with two homers and 21 RBIs in 59 games in rookie leagues.

The Padres’ Christian Bethancourt celebrates his fourth-inning home run against the St. Louis Cardinals. (K.C. Alfred | San Diego Union-Tribune )


LEAVING ATLANTA

C Christian Bethancourt: Once one of the game’s top catching prospects, Bethancourt fell out of favor in Atlanta after hitting .219/.245/.283 over parts of three seasons in the majors. His ailing left knee repaired over the offseason, the 25-year-old Panama native showed flashes of prodigious power despite continued bouts of inconsistency (.228/.265/.368 in 73 games) in a bench role. The longest of his six home runs had a true distance of 447 feet – at Petco Park no less – according to ESPN’s Home Run Tracker, although it was the strength of Bethancourt’s right arm that was most intriguing by season’s end. After showing it off in the outfield for the first time and running his fastball up to 93 mph on the mound (1.2 IP, 0 ER), the Padres will toy with using Bethancourt in a hybrid catcher/outfield/relief role that will help the coaching staff maximize the 25-man roster next spring.

HINDSIGHT

While a left intercostal strain wiped out the final month of his season, Bethancourt’s first half (.737 OPS vs. .525 after All-Star break) at times suggested that he was even worthy of pushing Norris for starting time. That alone is reason enough to like trading away a former first-rounder with a reconstructed elbow and a catcher who has yet to even reach A-ball. More importantly, the Padres will have five more seasons to flesh out Bethancourt’s best role – push Norris or Hedges for playing time, back up behind the plate and in the outfield or come in out of the bullpen – before he hits free agency.

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A.J. Preller’s 2016 trade timeline

Nov. 12: The Joaquin Benoit trade

The Joaquin Benoit trade Nov. 13: The Craig Kimbrel trade

The Craig Kimbrel trade Dec. 2: The Yonder Alonso trade

The Yonder Alonso trade Dec. 8: The Jedd Gyorko trade

The Jedd Gyorko trade Dec. 10: The Casey Kelly trade

The Casey Kelly trade Feb. 4: The Odrisamer Despaigne trade

The Odrisamer Despaigne trade June 4: The James Shields trade

The James Shields trade June 30: The Fernando Rodney trade

The Fernando Rodney trade July 14: The Drew Pomeranz trade

The Drew Pomeranz trade July 26: The Melvin Upton Jr. trade

The Melvin Upton Jr. trade July 29: The Andrew Cashner trade

The Andrew Cashner trade July 30: The Matt Kemp trade

jeff.sanders@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutSanders