News Braves Team Notes

10 Players Elect Free Agency

Now that the season is over, we’ll start seeing several players choose to become minor league free agents. Major League free agents (i.e. players with six-plus years of big league service time) will hit the open market five days after the end of the World Series, but eligible minor leaguers can already start electing free agency.

To qualify, these players must have been all outrighted off their team’s 40-man rosters during the 2025 season without being added back. These players also must have multiple career outrights on their resume, and/or at least three years of Major League service time.

We’ll offer periodic updates over the coming weeks about many other players hitting the market in this fashion. These free agent decisions are all listed on the official MLB.com or MILB.com transactions pages, for further reference.

Catchers


Infielder


Outfielder


Pitchers

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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/10-players-elect-free-agency-2.html
 
Sandy Leon Remains Free Agent

9:14 pm: The minor league transaction log entry showing Leon re-signing with the Braves is not accurate, MLBTR has learned. Leon remains a free agent.

7:23 pm: Catcher Sandy Leon has returned to the Braves on a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. The veteran was assigned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, where he’s spent the majority of the past two seasons. Leon appeared in five games with Atlanta over the final two months of the 2025 campaign.

The 36-year-old Leon joined Atlanta as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season. He played in 79 games with the Stripers that year, but didn’t make an appearance in the big leagues for the first time since 2011. Leon had two separate stints with the Braves this past season. He made his MLB return on July 22, coming on as a defensive replacement. Leon was sent back to Triple-A on August 15, only to come back up a few weeks later. Leon finished the year with just one hit in 12 at-bats, though he made it count, launching a three-run home run off Craig Kimbrel on September 14.

Leon made his debut with the Nationals in 2012. He’s spent parts of 13 MLB seasons with seven different teams. The backstop had his longest big-league stretch with one organization from 2015 to 2019 with Boston. He appeared in 358 regular-season games with the Red Sox. Leon was part of the World Series-winning squad in 2018.

The 2016 season was Leon’s only campaign as a viable hitter at the highest level. He posted a 124 wRC+ across 283 plate appearances. Leon popped seven home runs and drove in 35 while splitting time with Christian Vázquez. He would never post another season with better than a 66 wRC+. Leon is more known for his work behind the plate. He threw out at least 36% of would-be base stealers in each of his first three seasons in Boston. Statcast began tracking fielding run value in 2018, and Leon ranked fourth among catchers that season.

Leon will serve as a depth option for Atlanta behind Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. The Braves ranked sixth in OPS at the position this past season. Baldwin is among the favorites for NL Rookie of the Year after slashing .274/.341/.469 in his first taste of MLB action. Murphy failed to hit .200 for the second straight year, but did pop 16 homers in just 337 plate appearances. Murphy has been banged up during his tenure in Atlanta, so Leon could assume backup duties behind Baldwin if injuries strike again.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/braves-sign-sandy-leon.html
 
Poll: Will Ha-Seong Kim Opt Out?

It wasn’t long ago that infielder Ha-Seong Kim looked like a strong bet to land a nine-figure deal in free agency. Last September, Kim was wrapping up a season in which he had hit .233/.330/.370, good for a league average wRC+ of 101. He combined that with strong defense at shortstop and 22 steals on the base paths, and it was actually the weakest of his last three seasons in the majors. Since the start of 2022, Kim had hit .250/.336/.385 with 72 steals, a 17.9% strikeout rate, and a walk rate of 11.0% with 13.0 bWAR and 10.5 fWAR accumulated.

A player who was consistently worth three to five wins per season entering his age-29 season looked like a slam dunk for a sizable deal, but that was derailed when he underwent shoulder surgery 364 days ago. He wound up signing a $29MM guarantee with the Rays that spanned the 2025 and ’26 seasons, though it gave him the opportunity to opt out of the final year and $16MM of that deal if he so chose. Kim’s campaign this year was not an especially robust one, as he appeared in just 48 games and hit .234/.304/.345 in 191 plate appearances. The Rays were concerned enough about the possibility of having Kim on payroll in 2026 that they exposed him to waivers last month, at which point he was claimed by the Braves.

On paper, that might make the decision to opt in and try to bounce back next year an easy one for Kim. It’s hard to say that a 191 plate appearance sample size where he posted an 82 wRC+ with middling defensive grades would improve his stock in free agency much, after all. With that being said, it may not be an entirely foregone conclusion. Kim did manage to look much more like his former self down the stretch with Atlanta, hitting .253/.316/.368 (91 wRC+) with a 16.3% strikeout rate and some of the strongest expected numbers of his career. His overall production remained below average due in part to a BABIP of just .271, but it suddenly became much easier to see Kim returning to the average to slightly above average bat he once was after his performance in the Braves organization.

Of course, that time in Atlanta represents just 98 plate appearances, which makes it difficult to draw any significant conclusions. The Braves themselves certainly appear satisfied with Kim’s progress, though, as president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has made no bones about his desire to keep the infielder in the fold for next season. With a relatively barren market for shortstop-caliber players outside of Bo Bichette, it’s not hard to imagine other teams seeing Kim’s upside and being willing to spend a good bit more than the $16MM guarantee Kim would be opting out of, even if that would come in the form of a similarly short-term, opt-out laden arrangement as the one he signed last winter.

There’s certainly risk in opting out of a guaranteed $16MM payday coming off an injury-marred season, and it would be entirely understandable if Kim preferred to simply stick with the Braves and hope to bounce back enough in 2026 that he puts himself in line for a lucrative contract next winter. With that being said, it must be considered that Kim is represented by the Boras Corporation, and agent Scott Boras is known for preferring his clients to test free agency when possible. That’s not a hard-and-fast rule, however; Boras clients Cody Bellinger and Gerrit Cole both had the opportunity to test free agency via opt outs last winter and ultimately declined to do so, though Cole did initially opt out before mutually agreeing with the Yankees to remain in the organization on the terms of his original contract.

How do MLBTR readers expect Kim to handle his impending option? Will he test free agency and try to take advantage of a weak shortstop class, or is he more likely to stick with Atlanta on his current deal? Have your say in the poll below:

Take Our Poll
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/poll-will-ha-seong-kim-opt-out.html
 
Braves Sign Austin Nola To Minors Contract

The Braves have signed catcher Austin Nola to a minor league deal, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The contract contains an invitation to Atlanta’s big league spring camp.

Nola appeared in 345 MLB games with the Padres and Mariners from 2019-2023, posting some very solid numbers at the plate before his production tailed off badly by the 2023 campaign. Nola spent the 2024 season with the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate without getting any more playing time in the Show, and he moved on to sign a minor league deal with the Rockies last winter.

The early part of Nola’s 2025 campaign was spent battling injuries, but he played well enough at Triple-A to earn a selection to Colorado’s active roster. Nola didn’t fare nearly as well, hitting .184/.225/.211 over 41 plate appearances and 14 games with the Rox before being designated for assignment and then outrighted off the 40-man roster in August. He elected free agency rather than accept that outright assignment, so Nola has had a bit of extra time to line up his next stop.

Atlanta is set at the MLB level with Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy as their catchers, but Chuckie Robinson is the only other backstop in the system with any big league experience. Nola can provide some depth for the Braves in camp, and could even chip in as a reserve first baseman. Now entering his age-36 season, time may be running out for Nola to re-establish himself as even a backup in the majors, but a good showing in Spring Training could win him a Triple-A job with the Braves or perhaps a look elsewhere with a team with a less stable catching situation.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/braves-sign-austin-nola-to-minors-contract.html
 
Latest On Braves’ Managerial Search

The Rangers and Angels each have new managers in place for 2026, but that still leaves seven other teams looking for a new dugout leader. Amidst all of the recent news and rumors about all of these simultaneously ongoing managerial searches, there hasn’t been much out of Atlanta, which is by design. The Braves generally operate with more secrecy than most clubs, and as president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos told reporters during his year-end press conference, “if we do our job the way I want us to do it, you guys won’t have anything” on his club’s hunt for a new skipper.

A few details have emerged from MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, though more in regards to some speculated names that can perhaps be removed from consideration. Bowman hears from a source that former Blue Jays manager John Gibbons isn’t a candidate, and that “there has been no indication” that former Cubs manager David Ross or MLB Network and former player Mark DeRosa are being eyed for the manager’s job.

A follow-up message from Bowman on X specified that Gibbons, Ross, and DeRosa were the names he felt could be “confidently removed” from the running. His initial report didn’t eliminate bench coach Walt Weiss or coach Eddie Perez from consideration, but Bowman downplayed the idea of either man being elevated to the manager’s chair, writing that “their potential candidacies seemed to die when the Braves didn’t persuade [Brian] Snitker to manage at least one more year.” This implies that a succession plan might’ve been the initial concept for the team, but Snitker’s decision to step away from the job after the 2025 campaign might have the Braves leaning towards bringing an entirely fresh voice into the dugout.

Gibbons had the most MLB managerial experience of any of the names rumored to be involved in Atlanta’s search, as Gibbons logged parts of 11 seasons as the Blue Jays’ skipper over two separate tenures with the club. Anthopoulos was the Jays’ assistant GM during Gibbons’ first stint, and then after becoming general manager himself, made the unusual move of rehiring Gibbons back prior to the 2013 season, when Toronto was looking to replace John Farrell. Gibbons has spent the last two seasons as the Mets’ bench coach but stepped down from the job last month, creating speculation that he might emerge as Anthopoulos’ choice once more in Atlanta.

Ross seemed to be a natural candidate, as a Georgia native who both played for the Braves for four seasons and has four years of Major League managing experience on his resume. DeRosa is another former Brave who played seven seasons with the club from 1998-2004, and he has stuck mostly to broadcasting since his playing career ended in 2013. DeRosa hasn’t coached or managed in the majors or minors, though he was Team USA’s manager during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

In terms of which names might be on the Braves’ radar, Bowman writes that Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann’s “candidacy has seemingly strengthened over the past couple weeks.” The fact that the Dodgers are on their way to the World Series could be a complicating factor, though Lehmann could interview with the Braves during the interim periods between playoff rounds. This does mean that Atlanta might not announce a new hire until November, or at least until after the World Series is completed.

The 40-year-old Lehmann has been Dave Roberts’ bench coach for the last three years, and he has spent the last decade in the L.A. organization in such roles as a game planning/communication coach, a special assistant within the front office, and an advance video scout. Lehmann’s time with the Dodgers overlaps with Anthopoulos’ two-year (2016-17) tenure as the Dodgers’ vice-president of baseball operations, so there’s plenty of familiarity between the two men.

Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty and Tigers bench coach George Lombard are two other “potential candidates,” in Bowman’s words. The two have each been popular names in managerial searches in recent years, as Flaherty was a finalist for the Padres’ job in 2023 (before Mike Shildt was hired) and has been speculated as a candidate for the Padres’ current vacancy, as well as the Orioles’ and Twins’ open managerial positions. Lombard interviewed with the Marlins and White Sox last winter, and he was also in the running for past managerial vacancies with the Tigers and Pirates.

Lombard is an Atlanta native, and he also has some past L.A. history with Anthopoulos since Lombard was the Dodgers’ first base coach during the 2016-20 seasons. Both Lombard and Flaherty are former Braves players — Lombard during the 1998-99 seasons, and Flaherty in 2018.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/latest-on-braves-managerial-search.html
 
Offseason Outlook: Atlanta Braves

A barrage of pitching injuries and some underwhelming offensive performances resulted in Atlanta's first losing record and non-playoff season since 2017. The Braves can't rely just on better health to improve next year, as the club will at least explore upgrades at multiple roster spots.

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Austin Riley, 3B: $155MM through 2029 ($20MM club option for 2030)
  • Matt Olson, 1B: $88MM through 2029 ($20MM club option for 2030)
  • Spencer Strider, SP: $69MM through 2028 (includes $5MM buyout of $22MM club option for 2029)
  • Michael Harris II, OF: $54MM through 2030 (includes $5MM buyout of $15MM club option for 2031; Braves also have $20MM club option for 2032 with $5MM buyout)
  • Sean Murphy, C: $45MM through 2028 ($15MM club option for 2029)
  • Jurickson Profar, OF: $30MM through 2027
  • Ronald Acuna Jr., OF: $27MM through 2026 (includes $10MM buyout of $17MM club option for 2027; Braves hold $17MM club option for 2028)
  • Reynaldo Lopez, SP: $22MM through 2027
  • Aaron Bummer, RP: $9.5MM through 2026
  • Joe Jimenez, RP: $9MM through 2026

Option Decisions

  • Chris Sale, SP: $18MM club option for 2026
  • Ha-Seong Kim, SS: $16MM player option for 2026
  • Ozzie Albies, 2B: $7MM club option for 2026 ($4MM buyout); Braves also hold $7MM club option for 2027
  • Pierce Johnson, RP: $7MM club option for 2026 ($250K buyout)
  • Tyler Kinley, RP: $5MM club option for 2026 ($750K buyout)

2026 financial commitments (if all options are exercised): $204.5MM
Total long-term financial commitments (if all options are exercised) = $561.5MM

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)


Free Agents


At the time of this post's publication, the Braves still haven't settled on a new manager. The team's hope was that Brian Snitker would return for an 11th season as manager, but Snitker will instead move into an advisory role for his 50th season in the organization. Snitker's decade in the manager's chair included six NL East titles and the 2021 World Series championship, but this outstanding run ended on the down note of a 76-86 record in 2025.

It is hard to imagine any manager could've shepherded this year's Braves team to glory given how nearly the entire rotation was lost to the injured list. Even with their season slipping away due to an 8-17 record in July, the Braves were one of the more active buyers (to some extent) leading up to the trade deadline just because the team was in such need of short-term rotation help.

Bryce Elder (and his 5.30 ERA) led all Atlanta pitchers with 156 1/3 innings, with Chris Sale finishing in second with only 125 2/3 frames. Sale missed over two months due to a ribcage fracture, but naturally his club option is still a lock to be exercised. Spencer Strider's recovery from internal brace surgery and a hamstring strain limited him to 125 1/3 innings, and he understandably didn't look nearly as dominant as he did in his All-Star 2023 season. Reynaldo Lopez made just one start before arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder ended up sidelining him for the rest of the season. Spencer Schwellenbach (fractured elbow) and AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) were each pitching well before their seasons were ended in June. Grant Holmes' season was ended by a partially torn UCL in late July, and his status remains a question mark since Holmes is trying to rehab the injury without surgery.

Assuming no more offseason health woes, Sale, Strider, and Schwellenbach have places assured in Atlanta's rotation. Former top prospect Hurston Waldrep pitched well in his first extended taste of MLB action and put himself in line for a starting job in 2026. Holmes and Lopez are both tentatively penciled into the rotation for now, with the caveats of Holmes' health and the possibility that Lopez could be transitioned back into a bullpen role. Back in September, Anthopoulos stressed that the club still views Lopez as a starter, "but what if we have a bunch of starter trades that present themselves and so on? It would be a great problem to have."

Needless to say, the Braves are planning to bring at least one new addition into the starting mix. The fact that Anthopoulos mentioned trading for a starter first and foremost might at his preferred plan, which makes sense given how Anthopoulos has traditionally shied away from big-ticket free agent signings during his front office career. Anthopoulos has swung several creative trades over the years, and as we'll explore later, some players on the current big league roster could be trade chips just as easily as members of the Atlanta farm system.

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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/offseason-outlook-atlanta-braves-14.html
 
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