Earlier today, the official transaction page of the Atlanta Braves listed the signing of Tyler LaPorte to a minor league contract.

The soon-to-be 28-year-old right-handed pitcher will look to make an impression with the Braves organization in what will be his first foray into MLB-affiliated baseball.

Despite his age, LaPorte could be an interesting addition to the team’s organizational depth. While playing at Southern University, LaPorte worked primarily as an infielder in 97 games where he hit .349/.389./.489 across two seasons and was the 2019 SWAC Co-Player of the Year. As a pitcher, he made only four appearances for Southern.

Since moving into the professional ranks, he has spent four seasons in various independent leagues and transitioned to the mound full-time, working as a reliever. He struggled on the bump in his first few seasons as a full-time hurler until landing with the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League in 2023.

In 2024, he appears to have made a huge leap forward in his development as a pitcher, seeing action in 39 games and striking out 52 batters in 35.2 innings while allowing only a single home run and notching 13 saves after taking over as the team’s closer.

The Braves have had success with independent pitchers in the past – former Braves closer Kerry Ligtenberg is a prime example. While the organization’s signing of LaPorte could be nothing more than a flyer, if his name is called in Atlanta in the next couple of years, he would be the sixth former Thunderbolts player to make it to the majors.