truebluefan

Top catching prospect George Kottaras transferred to Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Beavers today announced that catcher George Kottaras, the top catching prospect and No. 2 overall prospect of the San Diego Padres, has been transferred to Portland from Class AA Mobile.

Also on Wednesday, the Beavers announced that catcher Jason Hill has been released.

Kottaras, 23, batted .276 with 19 doubles, eight home runs and 33 RBIs in 78 games with the BayBears to start the season. The catcher, who was born in Scarsborough, Ontario, represented the World Team in Sunday's All-Star Futures Game held at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, going 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and two RBIs in an 8-5 loss to the U.S Team.

Kottaras also participated in the Class AA Southern League All-Star Game on Monday, going 1-for-2 with an RBI for the South Team.

A 20th-round selection of the Padres in the 2002 draft, Kottaras, who played for Greece in the 2004 Athens Olympics, is a career .291 hitter with 33 home runs and 168 RBIs in 318 games played over four seasons.

Hill, 29, batted .241 with three home runs and 22 RBIs in 45 games with the Beavers this season.