The Braves and outfielder Luis Liberato have agreed to a minor league deal, as noted by Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. It’s unclear if the deal includes an invite to major league spring training.
Liberato, 28 later this month, was signed out of the Dominican Republic by Seattle back in 2012. He spent nine seasons in total in the Mariners organization, eventually reaching the Triple-A level for a full season in 2021 at age 25. In 337 trips to the plate that year, Liberato slashed .279/.338/.436 while primarily playing center field. The solid showing earned Liberato a minor league deal with the Padres when he hit minor league free agency the following winter. The outfielder started the 2022 season at the club’s Triple-A affiliate in El Paso and got fantastic results, with a .261/.354/.541 slash line in 99 games. While that performance came in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, it was still 16% better than league average by measure of wRC+.
The strong numbers at Triple-A earned Liberato his first big league opportunity in September of 2022, when the club used him as a pinch runner and defensive replacement during their push to the playoffs. Though he appeared in seven games down the stretch, Liberato stepped up to the plate just five times, going hitless with three strikeouts in his first big league cup of coffee. After being outrighted off the club’s 40-man roster late in the 2022 season, Liberato returned to the Padres in 2023 on a new minor league deal but didn’t find the same offensive success, as his .261/.365/.461 slash line in 69 games with El Paso this year was good for a roughly league average wRC+ of just 99.
Now headed to Atlanta, Liberato figures to enter the season as outfield depth for a club that recently loss left fielder Eddie Rosario to free agency. He figures to join the club’s outfield mix at Triple-A to start the 2024 season alongside youngsters like Jesse Franklin V, Cody Milligan, and Justin Dean.
That’s a good sign. He’s a good depth piece.
Agreed, not even on the 40 man either. Pretty solid deal
They must know that Acuna’s wrist is going to be a long term thing after getting hit with that pitch.
He played the next game
Doesn’t mean anything, You’re allowed to become a doctor in Venezuela if you can drive a car. Once a complete and accurate X-ray is given, it will show the extent. Hence the Liberato signing.
Roll Tide.
Bulldogs dropping to #9 after this one.
You’re allowed to become a doctor if you can drive a car most places. You’re allowed to become a doctor if you can’t drive a car either.
I think you might want to workshop that insult more, champ.
Slider,
So what does it look like so far Doc?
Phalanx, phalangeal, or hamate fracture? Thumb UCL?
Hopefully you decide it is nothing. At worst inflammation. We need to know immediately.
Also, what kinda gas mileage you get there?
Slider_withcheese
Too much cheese on that slider-home run 10 rows back by Acuna.
You need to try a different approach, try a fast ball with mustard & turkey, or a screwball with ham and hot tomato chutney.
So youe theory is that the minor league signing of a 28-year old, who has 5 major league plate appearances, is evidence that the NL MVP is seriously injured; that that’s the kind of move they’d make if they expected Ronald Acuna to miss significant time.
That’s the level of your logic and reasoning skills, and they let you vote.
Slider,
You are right about replacing Acuna. ATL is known for immediately replacing an mvp with a sub replacement level player that has recently played in AAA for 4 straight seasons. Not much out there except Liberato. If nothing else, he could always end up hitting better than Acuna.
If by long term you mean “24 hours”, sure… he was in the lineup the very next day.
He played thru his “owsy”.
Good but I need some big news
Dang Mets just signed a literal “Scrubb” and the Braves go with “set free.”
This is why lolmets
It looks like the Rosario era in Atlanta has finally ended, and he’s been replaced by…………..LIBERACE!!!
I’m glad I’m not the only one that, at first glance, thought the Braves signed (the late) Lee Liberace. AA is playing 9 dimensional chess.
Minor league depth piece, not even on the 40 man. No offense to him, but I hope there is not a need for him in Atlanta in 2024.
Dylan Cease!
Why do I have a gut feeling this will be the slowest moving winter meetings ever
Because 80% of the market is in a holding pattern waiting to see what Ohtani does. Really it’s only about the four teams still in on him, 3 of whom will pivot and sign other big name free agents once they lose that sweepstakes. The irony is Ohtani isn’t setting anyone’s market.
Liberato shouldn’t sign.
His name literally means free man.