The Braves were looking to sign a free agent catcher even before Sean Murphy’s injury. According to a new report, Yasmani Grandal declined an offer from Atlanta “about a month ago,” per Francys Romero.
Murphy took a fastball off the ribs on March 27, which is about 10 days ago. Facing four to six weeks on the pine, there was some speculation whether the Braves would bring in a free agent catcher or bring up top prospect Drake Baldwin. If this report is true, that tells you a lot about what the Braves think about the depth at the position.
Grandal is a pro’s pro, a 13-year veteran, spanning five teams since 2012. He’s great behind the plate and has an average bat for a catcher. Last year, he slashed just .228/.304/.400, but major league catchers slashed only .234/.299/.380 as a whole in 2024.
I don’t hate the idea of bringing in Yasmani Grandal, but the fan in me is like a kid on Christmas thinking about Drake Baldwin making his MLB debut. The organization’s top prospect looks like he’s going to be a star.
With Braves’ Opening Day a little more than two weeks away, we should know very soon what Alex Anthopoulos decides to do in Sean Murphy’s absence.
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