The Veterans
The remainder of the invite list feels more routine. Like I stated earlier on, the situations last year and this year are completely different, so it’s more of a normal formality to invite veterans to camp.
Martin Pérez, a 14-year veteran, signed a minor-league deal after a respectable, but injured, season with the White Sox. He is a soft-throwing lefty who knows how to navigate lineups and could provide valuable innings if needed.
Carlos Carrasco also returns after making three starts for Atlanta last season. The results were rough, as he allowed 15 earned runs across those outings. Still, veteran depth is rarely a bad thing in a long season.
Before Jonah Heim signed a major-league deal, Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon were set to compete for backup catching duties while Sean Murphy recovers. Tromp likely entered as the frontrunner given Leon’s extended time in Triple-A last year, but both will now be battling for the third catcher role.
Luke Williams, Jose Azocar, and Ben Gamel will also have the chance to compete for what appears to be one open bench spot. One strong spring could put any of them in position to break camp with the team, or at least one call away.
Overview
Spring training is built on optimism. For the Braves, it is also about restoring expectations. An early wild-card exit followed by a season without a playoff appearance is not the standard in Atlanta.
This camp offers a glimpse of both the present and the future. A healthy Ronald Acuña Jr. The addition of Robert Suárez at the back of the bullpen. The potential rise of JR Ritchie, Alex Lodise, and John Gil.
There are still questions. There always are in February. But this roster has the depth and talent to compete deep into October. Given the organization’s expectations, meaningful baseball in the fall should not feel like a stretch goal. It should feel like the standard.