The Braves have agreed to terms with outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). It’s a minor-league deal, per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (Twitter link). Carrera can earn $650K in the majors, Bob Nightengle of USA Today tweets.
Carrera was recently released by the Blue Jays, sending him onto the open market in the middle of Spring Training. That move allowed the organization to avoid most of the $1.9MM arbitration salary it had agreed to with Carrera at the outset of the offseason.
As Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reminds us on Twitter, current Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos was responsible for bringing Carrera to Toronto back when he ran the Jays’ baseball operations. Clearly, Anthopoulos is a believer, though it’s not clear whether Carrera will have a real shot at earning a roster spot over the final weeks of Spring Training.
Carrera, 30, did have a strong 2017 season in which he posted a .282/.356/.408 batting line with eight home runs and ten steals over 325 plate appearances. Whether now or at some point during the campaign to come, he could be an option as a reserve/platoon outfielder in Atlanta. Currently, the team appears to be slated to utilize fellow left-handed hitter Preston Tucker in a similar role.
since AA is the gm, this is not shocking. he’s the one that brought him to Toronto originally too if I’m not mistaken.
How ever did you conclude that?
If I’m not mistaken, the Jays avoided having to pay most of his $1.9m arbitration salary, and he could be used as a reserve/platoon outfielder along with fellow left-handed hitter Preston Tucker in a similar role.
How drunk are you, Lahey?
He’s only had a couple of drinks!
By by Preston Tucker & Lane Adams looks like Carrera/Peterson platoon now in LF until Acuna comes up. Much better OF alignment imo
Tucker is crushing the ball (although they aren’t going out so far) and has only struck out once compared to four walks in 33 plate appearances (I think). Don’t be shocked to see Tucker in an Atlanta uniform on opening day.
Agreed – Tucker is getting better ABs (with better results) than Peterson who has taken a few mistake pitches deep.
Nice to see him land with the team I’ve always had a soft spot for. I have to wish him and the Braves the best as per usual.
A corner outfielder with very little power and fielding ability. Good luck.
yeah because he is gonna get the majority of the playing time. are you really stupid or is it just an act online?
> are you really stupid or is it just an act online?
Did the lunch lady spray mace in your eyes again?
can’t tell if you’re quoting or have multiple personalities.
His career stats are bad, he was bad in 2017, and his fielding ability has apparently fallen off a cliff.
We already have enough garbage placeholder outfielders likely to be sub-replacement level players (see Santana, Danny).
Hopefully, this is just for competition purposes in ST and the Braves continue the plan of giving players with actual upside some ABs. Tucker, Adams, Peterson might all be 4th OF types in their careers but they have proven enough to deserve a fair shake at the ML level. This guy has already gotten more than a fair chance and has proven he is a AAA outfielder.
I’m sure this takes us out of the running for Jake Cave, was hoping the FO would put a claim in on him.
Dude it is a MINOR league contract. I’d imagine unless there are some unexpected injuries he probably won’t see time in Atlanta. Looks like a depth only move, nothing to be excited about.
If the Braves like Cave this shouldn’t exclude them from signing him to a minor league deal as well.
So you consider .282/.356 in a platoon role bad?? Wow
I don’t think I’ve ever seen 6 sentences from someone complaining so much about Zeke. You understand how absurd this is, right Yeti?
I don’t know why you are coming down so hard on a depth signing. A guy with a career 262/324 contact numbers isn’t to bad if he’s coming off the bench. His 3 years averages even having him trending up.
He has terrible defense from the stats I saw, so it seems he would be more of the pinch hitter guy. If he hits like he did last year, it’s a good move. If he doesn’t, then they basically lose nothing.
Tucker is winning the job in spring training. Adams should be sent down but is out out of options. Carrera could be 4th outfielder till Acuna called up. Also who is claiming Carrera can’t hit? He has hit for high average and on base at every level including in majors. Peterson also I predict starts in triple A.
Braves don’t need a 5th starter until the 11th. That opens up an extra bench spot for a few weeks. So Adams and Tucker will most likely both be on the roster until Acuna comes up.
Once again, Braves land a sub par player at a minor league price, great job. Remember the goal is the bottom line $.
why does this bother you? rebuilding years aren’t going to have flashy acquisitions.
Ralph, losing patience entering into the third year of rebuilding. We got a great core group of young guys, that are really good. They need some quality help.
still need to see who sticks. until then, it doesn’t make sense to make splashy moves until next year when there is more money available. I’m fine waiting it out and I’ve been a fan since the early 80s.
I’ve been a fan since 1957 and I’m not fine with waiting for next year! Do you know what winning is.
take it easy. we’ve had a stretch of dominance that most teams would envy.
does 4 straight losing seasons suck? of course it does, but of your expectations were of contention this year, you should have prepared that to not be the case, as it has been all winter.
Get used to AA bringing in every scrub on a minor deal. Almost none of them every work out.
who cares? like he’s the only GM that picks up a player hoping for lighting in a bottle? if he doesn’t work out, they move on.
Its all about getting a top 5 draft pick again
Wonder why the Braves would sign Carter’s but pass on Brett Nicholas. Brain dead maybe?
why? Braves are fine at catcher this year with more help on the way.
Nicholas also has like 4 seasons in AAA, so it’s not like he’s this undervalued asset or anything.
If anything this solidifies their weak farm system.
A depth signing makes you think that? And I guess every professional in the industry disagreeing with you makes no difference to you, right? I suppose you think the earth is flat?
Yes, I figured out a few days ago that the earth is not flat. I just simply desire and hope that every move that is made by management makes our team stronger. I’ve been around longer enough to realize that is not always the case. However, there is a developing history that the ownership has tied the hands of management pushing them to gamble on fading talent or would be career turn arounds. Go Braves!
Their farm system is weak they need to get a new GM who can rebuild the right way.
#tweetsfromlastyear
6 months offseason and the Braves have managed to still have the worst 3B and LF players in MLB and SS might be as well. Gonna be a long season again.
sure it would have been nice to nab Frazier for 3rd, as an example, but rebuilds done properly require time. Hart and Coppy clearly weren’t the right fits to lead the team. This team isn’t just a few players away from contention and I’m fine letting it play out. 4 losing seasons in a row, going on 5, isn’t the end of the world.
and you’re just giving up on Swanson after a bad season?
I don’t get it. Why don’t fans like Carrera? I have watched Carrera for years in Toronto and he has been not just depth, but quality depth which is a rare thing. He can hit, run, okay fielder, good to very good throwing arm, and is a great team player.
The Jays cut him because the Jays current braintrust likes their young guys ahead of Carrera. Carrera did everything the Jays asked of him and more, even led off for a few games.
Quality signing. Smart move for the Braves. Good on AA.
It is a not a championship decision type signing and not intended to be, but signing Carrera makes the organization better. #scoutseyes
fellow Braves fans just seem to want to fast-track this rebuild and yeah, it’s frustrating to sit out another year, but these things take time. Acuna seems to be a sure thing but depth is important and I like the Carrera signing too. We just have so many players that need to prove themselves this year and if they do, then some big pieces will be added next year. maybe even at the trade deadline: Braves aren’t shy about making moves for controllable players.
Braves are in very good hands with AA at the helm. Miss him and Beeston in Toronto. Shapiro and Atkins are building a good farm system but don’t seem to have a clue when it comes to MLB evaluations,, signings and trades.