While many are waiting on the big splash from AA this offseason, there have been several note-worthy MLB deals and AA, like usual, utilized the early offseason to wrap up contracts with both Pierce Johnson and Joe Jimenez. He also traded a plethora of castaways for LH relief pitcher Aaron Bummer. From there, he continued the focus on pitching and signed Reynaldo Lopez to a 3 year deal, role pending. While these 4 moves are not the big splash, altogether they make for quite a month for the Braves GM.
Anthopoulos has also been busy in the minor league front. And while many of the signings are just AAA fillers, there are a few that could surprise and make the MLB roster at some point in 2024. Let’s take a look at who AA has inked.
Braves Sign 8 to MiLB Deals
- Alejo Lopez: Glove 1st guy that can play almost all positions. Played sparingly for the Reds over a 3 year period. Decent hit tool in MiLB but hasn’t translated to the bigs.
- Tommy Doyle: 2nd Rd pick in the 2017 draft and a lifelong reliever, Doyle has had more downs than ups, but has a big fastball that he has a hard time controlloing.
- Andrew Velazquez: An all-glove veteran that can play everywhere and hit nowhere. He’s a good 26th man for Brian Snitker.
- Ben Bowden: Another CO guy, Bowden got a cup of coffee back in 2021 as a reliever, but had poor results and hasn’t made it back up since. He has great K-rates across his MiLB journey that unfortunately coincide with horrible walk rates.
- Grant Holmes: Holmes was my pick to be placed on the 40-man this offseason, but wasn’t “Granted” that opportunity. He had a strong year at AAA and I feel as though it won’t be too long before he finally gets the call. 2024 will be his 10th year in pro ball without a callup.
- Luis Liberato: This is likely the most exciting MiLB signing of the offseason. Liberato is a LHH OFer that can play all 3 positions. He’s also a big splits guy, carrying a .901 OPS against RHP at AAA and a .648 against LHP. If the Braves go the platoon route in LF, look for Liberato’s name to pop up a lot during spring training.
- Luke Williams: Williams is the classic journeyman that has learned it all for the field, but couldn’t break a wet sack with the bat. He’s emergency depth and is likely getting an inflated MiLB salary in return for his up and down services.
- Drew Parrish: Parrish showed promise after being drafted in 2019 as he carried a 4.21 K/BB rate in 98.2 innings between High -A and AA. Unfortunately, it’s been a downhill spiral for his ERA and his K-rate, but an uphill climb for his BB-rate. He’s finally made it out of the Royals org so that’s a start.
If I were looking at this list in terms of who could make it to the bigs, my top 3 would be Liberato, Williams, and Bowden.
LIberato sounds great to me. I would love a lefty OF who can play some defense.
Hey did we sign Ohtani yet? No? K–just checkin
So the Braves solve LF and add one SP in one fell swoop without really losing any primo prospects leaving us still in on Dylan Cease, if possible. Kelenic is very young and having him split time with Grissom can solve both LF and a bench spot. We add an ace-like SP and all problems solved. Adding Gonzales could be a precursor to trading one or two of our SP (e.g. Elder, AJSS). White is expensive fodder but he can be DFA’d or put on the 60-day IL. But he is also a former GG 1B and still young – maybe DH or bench fodder. Could he replace Ozuna?
This seems like another AA coup.
I assumed this was a pre-cursor to Grissom getting traded.
Maybe not though. Hopefully not.
AA: If the season started today, Grissom is the left fielder
Tomorrow: Trades for Kelenic
Next day: Trades Grissom
AA: I said, “if the season started today”
I’m confused by the money on this deal. Why did we feel we needed to take back this much salary?
Part of the “middle-of-the-road” strategy. If they acquired a superstar they’d win too many games and you’ve spoken out against that.
Also, yes, Kelenic is the guy who cried because he broke his foot kicking a water cooler
Given Kelenic & Huascar both, maybe the new market inefficiency is designing softer dugout accessories.
Gotta harken back to John Adcox’s post a few days ago – seems to still be directly on point. Braves may still be “in” on Yamamoto or Snell (or Cease) and may still intend to add two SPs, of which Gonzales is one. They like Grissom and are not likely to trade him (a Kelenic/Grissom platoon also upgrades the bench). I’ll bet Evan White is DFA’d and becomes depth at AAA but he could replace Ozuna if he is traded (or more bench upgrade). if we are already over the luxury threshold then there should be no bar to making a big FA signing (like Yamamoto). If we could trade Elder, AJSS, and Ozuna for Cease then all problems could be solved. I suspect what’s holding up a Cease trade is the Boras factor in getting Cease extended.