Braves Sign Yolmer Sanchez, Carl Edwards Jr., Jesse Biddle To Minor League Contracts
The Braves have signed infielder Yolmer Sanchez, right-hander Carl Edwards Jr., and left-hander Jesse Biddle to minor league deals, according to MLB.com’s official transactions page. In addition, The Athletic’s David O’Brien reports (via Twitter) that outfielder Phillip Ervin has been outrighted to the club’s alternate training site after Ervin was designated for assignment last week.
Sanchez was seemingly on track to be the Orioles’ regular second baseman heading into the season, though the O’s somewhat surprisingly DFA’ed and then released the veteran infielder last week. It didn’t take long for Sanchez to land another job, with the Braves perhaps looking for some additional infield depth while Ehire Adrianza is away from the team due to a personal matter. (Jason Kipnis and Ryan Goins are two more veteran infield options at the alternate training site.)
Though Sanchez has now been a member of four different organizations, he has still only worn a White Sox uniform at the MLB level. Sanchez hasn’t hit much (.245/.300/.360 in 2459 PA) over his 657 career Major League games, though he has delivered some very impressive glovework as a second baseman and third baseman over his career. His second base expertise was recognized in 2019 when Sanchez won a Gold Glove.
Biddle is back for his second stint in an Atlanta uniform, as he made his big league debut with the Braves back in 2018. Biddle delivered a 3.11 ERA/3.66 SIERA and an above-average 25.2% strikeout rate over 63 2/3 relief innings in that rookie season, and looked to have carved out a niche for himself in the bullpen after being a well-regarded pitching prospect in the Phillies farm system earlier in his career. Since then, however, Biddle has struggled to an 8.16 ERA over 28 2/3 innings with four different clubs in 2019-20.
Edwards is also technically returning to the Braves, as he opted out of his previous minor league deal with the team last week. The 29-year-old posted a 3.06 ERA over 159 relief innings for the Cubs from 2015-18 but Edwards was hit hard during a 2019 season that saw him post an 8.47 ERA over 17 innings with the Cubs and Padres. A shoulder injury hampered Edwards during that season and the injury bug struck again in 2020, as Edwards pitched only 4 2/3 innings for the Mariners before he was sidelined by a forearm strain in early August.
Braves Select Pablo Sandoval, Release Jake Lamb, Re-Sign Jason Kipnis
MARCH 29: The Braves have brought Kipnis back on a different minors pact, O’Brien tweets.
MARCH 27, 1:25 pm: Lamb has been released, per a team announcement. While he signed a major league contract in February, it was non-guaranteed. Therefore, the Braves will only be on the hook for a portion of his $1MM salary. The move drops Atlanta’s 40-man roster count to 39. Lamb will again become a free agent.
Atlanta will also option Camargo and catcher William Contreras to the alternate training site to open the year, per David O’Brien of the Athletic (Twitter link). In addition to Sandoval and Adrianza, backup catcher Alex Jackson and fourth outfielder Ender Inciarte will fill out the season-opening bench.
10:48 am: The Braves announced this morning they’ve selected the contract of corner infielder Pablo Sandoval. Outfielder Phil Ervin has been designated for assignment to clear 40-man roster space. Additionally, the Braves released non-roster utilityman Jason Kipnis.
Sandoval made Atlanta’s roster late last season and picked up four postseason plate appearances. The Braves brought him back on a minor-league deal in January, and he’ll now earn a season-opening spot on the active roster. Sandoval will join a crowded but still uncertain third base mix in Atlanta, where Austin Riley, Johan Camargo, Jake Lamb and the newly-added Ehire Adrianza could all get playing time. Sandoval, 34, only hit .214/.287/.262 over 94 plate appearances last season, but he was an above-average hitter as recently as 2019 with the Giants.
Ervin has bounced around via waivers from the Reds to the Mariners to the Cubs and to Atlanta since last summer. The 28-year-old hit fairly well over his first couple seasons in Cincinnati but stumbled to a .149/.292/.189 mark last season. Teams remained intrigued by Ervin’s combination of otherwise decent offense and ability to play all three outfield positions, but the out-of-options outfielder has had trouble sticking on an active roster. Atlanta has a week to trade Ervin or place him on outright waivers.
Kipnis signed a minor-league deal with Atlanta after spending last season with the Cubs. The former Indians second baseman hit .237/.341/.404 with Chicago in 2020. He’ll now return to the open market in search of a new opportunity.