The Braves have outrighted reliever Joel De La Cruz, catcher Blake Lalli and first baseman Brandon Snyder off their 40-man roster, according to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Each of the three can and very likely will become minor league free agents this offseason.
Signed to a minor league pact this offseason, the 27-year-old De La Cruz made his big league debut with Atlanta in 2016 and wound up tossing a fairly substantial 62 2/3 innings for the Braves across nine starts and 13 relief appearances. In that time, De La Cruz worked to a 4.88 ERA with 5.3 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 43.1 percent ground-ball rate. The longtime Yankees farmhand, who has also spent time in the Brewers and Nationals organizations, averaged 91.3 mph on a sinker he threw for just over half of his offerings, per PITCHf/x data, also working in a slider and a changeup. Neither De La Cruz’s Major League nor minor league numbers stand out, but his 4.15 ERA in parts of three seasons (184 1/3 innings) at the Triple-A level is an identical match with his career 4.15 ERA across five minor league levels, so he can function as a serviceable depth piece in a club’s Triple-A rotation or bullpen.
The 33-year-old Lalli, meanwhile, returned to the Majors for the first time since 2013 and picked up 13 plate appearances with a pair of hits. He’s seen parts of three seasons in the Majors, though he has just 53 plate appearances and a .305 OPS in that time. He’s fared considerably better at Triple-A, where he’s a lifetime .265/.316/.376 hitter.
And Snyder, 29, tallied 47 PAs this season and hit .239/.255/.652 — one of the stranger batting lines you’ll come across anytime soon. The 29-year-old collected 11 hits but just one single, as he belted four homers to go along with five doubles and a triple in his brief stint, bumping his career batting line to .242/.279/.459. Clearly, as evidenced by the .217 ISO (slugging percentage minus batting average) that he’s posted in the Majors, there’s some pop in Snyder’s bat, though he’s never been able to carve out a prolonged role in the bigs. Formerly selected with the 13th overall pick by the Orioles in 2005, Snyder is a career .274/.336/.437 hitter in the minors, including a .259/.319/.411 slash in parts of seven Triple-A seasons.
This happened 10/7/16, the same day the Orioles claimed Jed Bradley.. three days ago they outrighted Daniel Castro (Gwinnett and Matt Marksberry and Andrew McKirahan (Mississippi).
Yesterday – 10/13 -Joe Wieland elected free agency.
There are currently 40 names on the Braves 40-man roster but expect Eric O’Flaherty, Emilio Bonifacio to be granted free agency soon so Max Fried and Lucas Sims can be added prior to rule five time.
You also have AJ Pierzynski who’s contract expires at the end of this season as well. There is also talk of non-tendering Anthony Recker, which would open up a total of 4 spots. They could also look at optioning a few more guys who have options left to make extra rume if necessary.
Recker has breakout potential, hope they hold on to him.
I would be kinda shocked if they don’t tender a contract to Recker given the shortage of catchers on the FA market, the shortage in the Braves organization and the fact that Recker actually played rather well for them in the final few months of the season. I assume they probably don’t think his performance is sustainable, but he’d still make a good insurance piece should Flowers or whoever they sign/trade for gets injured.
These moves were all expected. I think Synder might be given a look at by someone as a non roster invitee to spring training. De La Cruz and Lalli will probably hook up as AAA depth with someone as well.
Blake Lalli also re-signed with the Braves.
TRADE with Tigers;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;Blair,Wisler,Fried,Ruiz and Markakis for Castellanos,J.Jones,Verlander and Greiner.