<img alt="Atlanta Braves v Los Angeles Angels" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/et2PAdIVmLP67WbFs9U8dTAGu0o=/150x0:7415x4843/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73591555/2167105222.0.jpg">
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
With the 2024 regular season winding down here’s a look-ahead to 2025. As of September 17, 2024, the Atlanta Braves had 46 players on their 40-man roster. That’s 40 available players and six players on the 60-day IL. Every year there is a churn of the 40-man roster after the season ends, and this year will be no different.
With several notable, long-time Braves set to be free agents and a number of players returning from injury, here’s a look at the current roster and a few quick thoughts on who might or might not return to the 40-man roster in 2025. (That is the 40-man roster, not the 26-man roster for Opening Day.)
Lastly, this is an opinion piece, you might disagree. If you do, leave a comment as to why you think I am, “wrong, wrong, wrong!” in the comments below.
The Locks (90+ percent)
Applying the caveat that nothing in life is certain, these are the players whose return to the Braves in 2025 is almost certain.
Ronald Acuña, Jr. (OF)
Ozzie Albies (2B)
Austin Riley (3B)
Matt Olson (1B)
Sean Murphy (C)
Micheal Harris II (OF)
Spencer Strider (SP)
Raisel Iglasias (CL)
Chris Sale (SP)
Reynaldo Lopez (SP)
Joe Jimenez (RP)
Pierce Johnson (RP)
Spencer Schwellenbach (SP)
Dylan Lee (RP)
That’s 14 players that seem to be no-doubt-about-it locks for 2025. Two outfielders, three infielders, a catcher, four starting pitchers and four relief pitchers.
The only person whose inclusion here gave me pause was Dylan Lee. That isn’t because Lee hasn’t been among the best relief pitchers in the National League - he has - but only because including four relief pitchers as roster locks seems eye-opening, but given how the front office has prioritized the bullpen - and the pending free agency of left-hander A.J. Minter - Lee seems like an almost sure-bet to return in ‘25.
Almost A Sure Thing (80+ percent)
Orlando Arcia (SS)
Marcell Ozuna (DH)
Bryce Elder (SP)
AJ Smith-Shawver (SP)
Daysbel Hernandez (RP)
Ian Anderson (SP)
Arcia and Ozuna could easily be added to the locks given their contract affordability-to-production ratio. But, you never know if Atlanta decides to shake things up or wants to free up some money to spend other places if they opt to make a big trade or free agency splash.
The other four names here are all pitchers - including three starters - who are far from sure bets to make the Opening Day rotation next season but all provide depth and variable levels of experience and upside but are all cost effective.
The other thing weighing in their favor is their desirability outside the organization. AJSS would be the most desirable trade asset but also the guy on the list that the Braves would most likely purposefully hold on to. Elder and Anderson have both had MLB-level success and offer depth, at worst. Any big league team has to plan on having at least 10 viable starters coming into each season. So even if Anderson and Elder don’t open the season in Atlanta, chances are they get multiple starts in the rotation next year, health permitting.
Probably, But ... (60+ Percent)
Jorge Soler (OF/DH)
Jarred Kelenic (OF)
Nacho Alvarez, Jr. (2B/3B)
Travis d’Arnaud (C)
Grant Holmes (RP)
Aaron Bummer (RP)
Angel Perdomo (RP)
Hurston Waldrep (SP)
Now we get into some interesting names, starting with the top two. Assuming Acuña, Jr. is healthy enough to start the season with Atlanta, then there are four outfielders for three spots or maybe three designated hitters for one spot. Could the Braves thin those numbers by trading someone? Would they not pick-up Ozuna’s option for any reason other than shocking the world and signing Juan Soto? Chances are Soler and Kelenic both return but on the surface you could talk yourself into reasons why they might not.
Similar logic applies to Alvarez, Jr. and Waldrep - the two prospects who appeared for Atlanta this season that could be the most likely to be traded in the off-season. Could both have a future in Atlanta? Sure. But it wouldn’t surprise too many people if they were used to address other areas via trade.
Bummer has been really good for Atlanta but he is a bit pricey to be retained next season. As for d’Arnaud, the only reason he isn’t higher is because given his age he might opt to call it a career and because even though his option for next season is affordable, prospect Drake Baldwin has to have given the organization something to think about when it comes to internal options behind the plate next season - especially given the hefty price tag Murphy has. Not seeing d’Arnaud would qualify as a mild surprise, however.
Perdomo missed this season due to injury - which the Braves planned around - so he seems likely to be back next season. Holmes has proved to be valuable as a long-man in the bullpen that could spot-start if needed. Given he costs the organization nothing more than a roster spot, he seems likely to be back as well. But, he spent 10 years in the minors without seeing big league action for a reason, and if roster spots get dicey, Atlanta could try to sneak him back on a minor league deal. He’s been good enough this year that someone else would probably give him a big league opportunity.
It’s 50/50 at Best
Dylan Dodd (SP/RP)
Ray Kerr (SP/RP)
Huascar Ynoa (SP/RP)
A.J. Minter (RP)
Eli White (OF)
Luke Williams (IF/OF)
For Kerr and Ynoa, the roster spot may be more valuable than the questions around their health. Dodd, unless traded, is likely to return but again, if a roster space is needed then he could be let go. White and Williams are in similar positions as position players. White’s big league opportunities are tied directly to what the team does with the log-jam of players ahead of him on the depth chart. Williams is likely to start next season like he did this season - reserve depth likely ticketed to Triple-A - but his versatility makes him an ideal candidate for a little-used last man on the roster, especially give how Atlanta has constructed their roster in recent years.
Minter is the first free agent on this list and probably the most likely to return because of the uncertainty around his hip injury. Given his tenure in the organization - and productivity - it seems plausible that the Braves could re-sign Minter to a multi-year deal that assumes he would spend most of the 2025 season on the 60-day IL, but affording him the ability to take his time to fully recover by making his 2026 season partially guaranteed.
Money and Opportunities (35+ percent)
Charlie Morton (SP)
Whit Merrifield (IF/OF)
Gio Urshela (IF)
Ramon Laureano (OF)
Chadwick Tromp (C)
Charlie Morton will return if he wants to returns and given the way he has pitched down the stretch, another one-year deal would make plenty of sense for the Braves but for Morton, this might be his last rodeo.
Merrifield, Urshela, and Laureano were all former productive MLB players (or better) who all hit the open market and landed in Atlanta. Those three position players have provided the Braves with value but all three have either free agency, options or arbitration ahead of them and given that playing time would be sparse - baring injuries - it is fair to assume that the Braves will decline their options or cut bait before arbitration. A return next season for any of them wouldn’t be shocking either - it would just have to be the right money and the right opportunity.
Tromp returning the organization is probably better than a 35-percent chance, but if d’Arnaud returns, Tromp may have to return on a non-roster minor league deal. Baldwin’s development could make him an option if regular playing time is available - but Tromp is still a good option to have around the organization as a third or fourth catcher.
Likely Goodbye (20+ percent)
Max Fried (SP)
Jesse Chavez (RP)
Luke Jackson (RP)
John Brebbia (RP)
Cavan Biggio (IF)
Adam Duvall (OF)
Allan Winans (SP)
David Fletcher* (2B)
Tyler Matzek* (RP)
Harold Ramirez* (IF/OF)*- Not currently on the 40-man roster
Atlanta will surely offer Fried arbitration but the chance of him re-signing seems slim although the Braves might make him an offer they seem unlikely to make him the biggest offer. Chavez has indicated this is his final season. If that holds true then it has been a heckuva run. If he opts to play in 2025, we all know what will happen, at some point or another, next year.
Jackson and Duvall seem unlikely to return - with Jackson having a leg up on Duvall because there seems to be bit a path to a bullpen spot but his option isn’t cheap. Duvall, who has seen only a modicum of action in the last month, doesn’t.
Winans could returns but given his age and the Braves not giving him the call with they needed an extra arm, that seems to be writing on the wall. Cavan Biggio seems like a sure-fire bet not to return. Which probably means he will. Ditto Brebbia.
The final three guys on this list are not on 40-man roster, but are with discussing. Fletcher may well return next season but likely won’t be on the field in Atlanta given the off-the-field investigations. There’s a path to where the Braves wouldn’t have to pay him and that’s why he’s still in the organization despite being a knuckleball pitcher in Double-A now.
Matzek was traded to the Giants but didn’t pitch for them before being let go and returning to Atlanta. Health is the big issue with him. A return shouldn’t be ruled out, especially on a MiLB deal.
Ramirez hasn’t appeared in Atlanta but was a later in the season sign but he’s only a couple of years away from being a .300 hitter in back-to-back seasons. Maybe he was just a flyer for more emergency depth but if the organization thinks they can help him re-find what made him a productive MLB hitter, he could sneak on to the roster with a good Spring Training next year.
There are other guys who were on the 40-man roster at some point during the 2024 season, who aren’t currently on it, but are still in the organization. It is possible any of them could return on a non-guaranteed or minors deal, so seeing Zach Short in Gwinnett with J.P. Martinez is always a possibility.
As for prospects that would need to be added to the 40-man roster or be exposed to the Rule 5 draft, I checked with our own Garrett Spain and he and the Battery Power Minor League writers will be discussing those qualifying prospects in detail once we get into the off-season, but this isn’t a year where the Braves will have to worry about finding spots to protect guys.
Believe it or not, it will be hot stove season before we know it.
<img alt="Atlanta Braves v Los Angeles Angels" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/et2PAdIVmLP67WbFs9U8dTAGu0o=/150x0:7415x4843/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73591555/2167105222.0.jpg">
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
With the 2024 regular season winding down here’s a look-ahead to 2025. As of September 17, 2024, the Atlanta Braves had 46 players on their 40-man roster. That’s 40 available players and six players on the 60-day IL. Every year there is a churn of the 40-man roster after the season ends, and this year will be no different.
With several notable, long-time Braves set to be free agents and a number of players returning from injury, here’s a look at the current roster and a few quick thoughts on who might or might not return to the 40-man roster in 2025. (That is the 40-man roster, not the 26-man roster for Opening Day.)
Lastly, this is an opinion piece, you might disagree. If you do, leave a comment as to why you think I am, “wrong, wrong, wrong!” in the comments below.
The Locks (90+ percent)
Applying the caveat that nothing in life is certain, these are the players whose return to the Braves in 2025 is almost certain.
Ronald Acuña, Jr. (OF)
Ozzie Albies (2B)
Austin Riley (3B)
Matt Olson (1B)
Sean Murphy (C)
Micheal Harris II (OF)
Spencer Strider (SP)
Raisel Iglasias (CL)
Chris Sale (SP)
Reynaldo Lopez (SP)
Joe Jimenez (RP)
Pierce Johnson (RP)
Spencer Schwellenbach (SP)
Dylan Lee (RP)
That’s 14 players that seem to be no-doubt-about-it locks for 2025. Two outfielders, three infielders, a catcher, four starting pitchers and four relief pitchers.
The only person whose inclusion here gave me pause was Dylan Lee. That isn’t because Lee hasn’t been among the best relief pitchers in the National League - he has - but only because including four relief pitchers as roster locks seems eye-opening, but given how the front office has prioritized the bullpen - and the pending free agency of left-hander A.J. Minter - Lee seems like an almost sure-bet to return in ‘25.
Almost A Sure Thing (80+ percent)
Orlando Arcia (SS)
Marcell Ozuna (DH)
Bryce Elder (SP)
AJ Smith-Shawver (SP)
Daysbel Hernandez (RP)
Ian Anderson (SP)
Arcia and Ozuna could easily be added to the locks given their contract affordability-to-production ratio. But, you never know if Atlanta decides to shake things up or wants to free up some money to spend other places if they opt to make a big trade or free agency splash.
The other four names here are all pitchers - including three starters - who are far from sure bets to make the Opening Day rotation next season but all provide depth and variable levels of experience and upside but are all cost effective.
The other thing weighing in their favor is their desirability outside the organization. AJSS would be the most desirable trade asset but also the guy on the list that the Braves would most likely purposefully hold on to. Elder and Anderson have both had MLB-level success and offer depth, at worst. Any big league team has to plan on having at least 10 viable starters coming into each season. So even if Anderson and Elder don’t open the season in Atlanta, chances are they get multiple starts in the rotation next year, health permitting.
Probably, But ... (60+ Percent)
Jorge Soler (OF/DH)
Jarred Kelenic (OF)
Nacho Alvarez, Jr. (2B/3B)
Travis d’Arnaud (C)
Grant Holmes (RP)
Aaron Bummer (RP)
Angel Perdomo (RP)
Hurston Waldrep (SP)
Now we get into some interesting names, starting with the top two. Assuming Acuña, Jr. is healthy enough to start the season with Atlanta, then there are four outfielders for three spots or maybe three designated hitters for one spot. Could the Braves thin those numbers by trading someone? Would they not pick-up Ozuna’s option for any reason other than shocking the world and signing Juan Soto? Chances are Soler and Kelenic both return but on the surface you could talk yourself into reasons why they might not.
Similar logic applies to Alvarez, Jr. and Waldrep - the two prospects who appeared for Atlanta this season that could be the most likely to be traded in the off-season. Could both have a future in Atlanta? Sure. But it wouldn’t surprise too many people if they were used to address other areas via trade.
Bummer has been really good for Atlanta but he is a bit pricey to be retained next season. As for d’Arnaud, the only reason he isn’t higher is because given his age he might opt to call it a career and because even though his option for next season is affordable, prospect Drake Baldwin has to have given the organization something to think about when it comes to internal options behind the plate next season - especially given the hefty price tag Murphy has. Not seeing d’Arnaud would qualify as a mild surprise, however.
Perdomo missed this season due to injury - which the Braves planned around - so he seems likely to be back next season. Holmes has proved to be valuable as a long-man in the bullpen that could spot-start if needed. Given he costs the organization nothing more than a roster spot, he seems likely to be back as well. But, he spent 10 years in the minors without seeing big league action for a reason, and if roster spots get dicey, Atlanta could try to sneak him back on a minor league deal. He’s been good enough this year that someone else would probably give him a big league opportunity.
It’s 50/50 at Best
Dylan Dodd (SP/RP)
Ray Kerr (SP/RP)
Huascar Ynoa (SP/RP)
A.J. Minter (RP)
Eli White (OF)
Luke Williams (IF/OF)
For Kerr and Ynoa, the roster spot may be more valuable than the questions around their health. Dodd, unless traded, is likely to return but again, if a roster space is needed then he could be let go. White and Williams are in similar positions as position players. White’s big league opportunities are tied directly to what the team does with the log-jam of players ahead of him on the depth chart. Williams is likely to start next season like he did this season - reserve depth likely ticketed to Triple-A - but his versatility makes him an ideal candidate for a little-used last man on the roster, especially give how Atlanta has constructed their roster in recent years.
Minter is the first free agent on this list and probably the most likely to return because of the uncertainty around his hip injury. Given his tenure in the organization - and productivity - it seems plausible that the Braves could re-sign Minter to a multi-year deal that assumes he would spend most of the 2025 season on the 60-day IL, but affording him the ability to take his time to fully recover by making his 2026 season partially guaranteed.
Money and Opportunities (35+ percent)
Charlie Morton (SP)
Whit Merrifield (IF/OF)
Gio Urshela (IF)
Ramon Laureano (OF)
Chadwick Tromp (C)
Charlie Morton will return if he wants to returns and given the way he has pitched down the stretch, another one-year deal would make plenty of sense for the Braves but for Morton, this might be his last rodeo.
Merrifield, Urshela, and Laureano were all former productive MLB players (or better) who all hit the open market and landed in Atlanta. Those three position players have provided the Braves with value but all three have either free agency, options or arbitration ahead of them and given that playing time would be sparse - baring injuries - it is fair to assume that the Braves will decline their options or cut bait before arbitration. A return next season for any of them wouldn’t be shocking either - it would just have to be the right money and the right opportunity.
Tromp returning the organization is probably better than a 35-percent chance, but if d’Arnaud returns, Tromp may have to return on a non-roster minor league deal. Baldwin’s development could make him an option if regular playing time is available - but Tromp is still a good option to have around the organization as a third or fourth catcher.
Likely Goodbye (20+ percent)
Max Fried (SP)
Jesse Chavez (RP)
Luke Jackson (RP)
John Brebbia (RP)
Cavan Biggio (IF)
Adam Duvall (OF)
Allan Winans (SP)
David Fletcher* (2B)
Tyler Matzek* (RP)
Harold Ramirez* (IF/OF)*- Not currently on the 40-man roster
Atlanta will surely offer Fried arbitration but the chance of him re-signing seems slim although the Braves might make him an offer they seem unlikely to make him the biggest offer. Chavez has indicated this is his final season. If that holds true then it has been a heckuva run. If he opts to play in 2025, we all know what will happen, at some point or another, next year.
Jackson and Duvall seem unlikely to return - with Jackson having a leg up on Duvall because there seems to be bit a path to a bullpen spot but his option isn’t cheap. Duvall, who has seen only a modicum of action in the last month, doesn’t.
Winans could returns but given his age and the Braves not giving him the call with they needed an extra arm, that seems to be writing on the wall. Cavan Biggio seems like a sure-fire bet not to return. Which probably means he will. Ditto Brebbia.
The final three guys on this list are not on 40-man roster, but are with discussing. Fletcher may well return next season but likely won’t be on the field in Atlanta given the off-the-field investigations. There’s a path to where the Braves wouldn’t have to pay him and that’s why he’s still in the organization despite being a knuckleball pitcher in Double-A now.
Matzek was traded to the Giants but didn’t pitch for them before being let go and returning to Atlanta. Health is the big issue with him. A return shouldn’t be ruled out, especially on a MiLB deal.
Ramirez hasn’t appeared in Atlanta but was a later in the season sign but he’s only a couple of years away from being a .300 hitter in back-to-back seasons. Maybe he was just a flyer for more emergency depth but if the organization thinks they can help him re-find what made him a productive MLB hitter, he could sneak on to the roster with a good Spring Training next year.
There are other guys who were on the 40-man roster at some point during the 2024 season, who aren’t currently on it, but are still in the organization. It is possible any of them could return on a non-guaranteed or minors deal, so seeing Zach Short in Gwinnett with J.P. Martinez is always a possibility.
As for prospects that would need to be added to the 40-man roster or be exposed to the Rule 5 draft, I checked with our own Garrett Spain and he and the Battery Power Minor League writers will be discussing those qualifying prospects in detail once we get into the off-season, but this isn’t a year where the Braves will have to worry about finding spots to protect guys.
Believe it or not, it will be hot stove season before we know it.
Link to original article
