{"id":26044,"date":"2025-01-15T01:45:14","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T01:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=26044"},"modified":"2025-01-15T01:45:14","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T01:45:14","slug":"update-a-way-too-early-braves-opening-day-roster-projection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=26044","title":{"rendered":"UPDATE: A way-too-early Braves’ Opening Day roster projection"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
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\"Braves<\/p>\n

ATLANTA — It has been 103 days since the Braves ended their 2024 season at Petco Park. Another 73 days will pass before they return to this same beautiful ballpark to begin the 2025 season. There\u2019s still time to address roster concerns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But to stir some debate and highlight the areas of need, here is a way-too-early Opening Day roster prediction. This list should look different when Braves camp opens the week of Feb. 9. It will certainly look different when Opening Day arrives on March 27.<\/p>\n

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POSITION PLAYERS (13)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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Catchers (2):\u00a0Sean Murphy\u00a0and\u00a0Chadwick Tromp<\/strong>
\nThe Braves can give\u00a0No. 5 prospect\u00a0Drake Baldwin time to develop while Tromp fills the backup role he capably handled for the first two months of last season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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Infielders (5):\u00a0Matt Olson,\u00a0Ozzie Albies,\u00a0Orlando Arcia,\u00a0Austin Riley\u00a0and\u00a0Christian Cairo<\/strong>
\nCairo, the son of longtime Major Leaguer Miguel Cairo, was selected out of the Guardians\u2019 system in the\u00a0Rule 5 Draft. This means he would be placed on outright waivers if removed from the 26-man roster at any point this year. If he clears waivers, the Braves would have to offer him back to Cleveland for $50,000 before gaining the option to outright him to the Minors.<\/p>\n

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For now we\u2019ll assume Cairo will begin the season with Atlanta. Luke Williams is out of options. But with Eli White\u2019s ability to play the outfield and second base if necessary, I\u2019ll project that White, who is also out of options, gets the nod.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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We\u2019ll waste plenty of time in Spring Training debating who should be this year\u2019s Forrest Wall (final bench piece). But coming off a year filled with injuries, should the bench have better insurance? Maybe a non-roster invitee like Garrett Cooper makes more sense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Or Cooper might make more sense as a backup outfielder, despite the fact he hasn\u2019t played the outfield on a regular basis since 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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Cairo or Nick Allen, who was acquired from the A\u2019s this winter, are capable versatile defenders, especially when serving simply as a backup infielder. But again, one year after seeing far too much of Zack Short and Williams, there should be a greater focus on the bench.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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Whit Merrifield was a good fit during his time in Atlanta. But a source has said there\u2019s a chance he opts to retire and spend more time with his family.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Braves bench players and salt trucks are rarely used in Atlanta. But as this past weekend proved, they can prove quite valuable when needed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Outfielders (5):\u00a0Michael Harris II,\u00a0Jarred Kelenic,\u00a0Bryan De La Cruz,\u00a0Eli White\u00a0and\u00a0Garrett Cooper<\/strong>
\nRonald Acu\u00f1a Jr. will likely miss at least six weeks while recovering from knee surgery. So, the only assumption is that Harris will be in center field. Kelenic would likely fill one of the two corner-outfield spots on Opening Day, especially if the Padres start a right-handed pitcher. Kelenic\u2019s struggles against left-handers could lead to having De La Cruz, White or Cooper fill the corner spots when the Braves face a southpaw starter. One other internal option is Carlos Rodriguez, a left-handed-hitting outfielder who has played a little more than a month above the Double-A level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Designated hitter (1):\u00a0Marcell Ozuna<\/strong>
\nBarring an emergency, Ozuna won\u2019t fit into the outfield plans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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PITCHING STAFF (13)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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Starting pitchers (5):\u00a0Chris Sale,\u00a0Reynaldo L\u00f3pez,\u00a0Spencer Schwellenbach,\u00a0Grant Holmes\u00a0and\u00a0Ian Anderson<\/strong>
\nHolmes and Anderson are both out of options. They could spend April competing for the right to stay in the rotation after Spencer Strider returns from elbow surgery. Holmes has shown he can be an effective reliever. Anderson will be bidding to regain the success he had before arm issues halted his rise in 2022 and led to Tommy John surgery the next year. Bryce Elder and A.J. Smith-Shawver are the other two top internal options to begin the season in the rotation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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Relief pitchers (8):\u00a0Raisel Iglesias,\u00a0Pierce Johnson,\u00a0Dylan Lee,\u00a0Aaron Bummer,\u00a0Daysbel Hern\u00e1ndez,\u00a0Anderson Pilar,\u00a0Angel Perdomo\u00a0and\u00a0Allan Winans<\/strong>
\nPilar was a Rule 5 Draft pick from the Marlins\u2019 organization. He notched 27 strikeouts and issued two walks in 21 innings during the Dominican Winter League. Perdomo could be this year\u2019s big surprise as he returns from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 3.72 ERA in 30 appearances for the Pirates before he blew out his elbow in August 2023. With Jesse Chavez likely retiring, you can replace Winans with any name. Or if the Braves sign a starter, Anderson or Holmes could begin the season in that long relief role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ATLANTA — It has been 103 days since the Braves ended their 2024 season at Petco Park. Another 73 days will pass before they return to this… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":26045,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nUPDATE: A way-too-early Braves' Opening Day roster projection - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=26044\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UPDATE: A way-too-early Braves' Opening Day roster projection - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"ATLANTA — It has been 103 days since the Braves ended their 2024 season at Petco Park. 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