Bethancourt has made the Padres' Opening Day roster as a reliever, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Bethancourt has been experimenting as a pitcher-catcher hybrid this spring, a move that's worked surprisingly well. The 25-year-old has allowed just two earned runs over 8.1 innings while also garnering three strikeouts. With Austin Hedges and Hector Sanchez ahead of him on the catching depth chart, it appears the team is going ahead with a full switch to becoming a pitcher. Expect Bethancourt to be used in low-leverage situations as he adjusts to his new role.