Atlanta Braves Minor League Maneuvers
By Fred Owens
It’s contract signing time
Matt Eddy at Baseball America noted a number of minor league moves by the Atlanta Braves on Thanksgiving day.
Signings
The rule five roster moves always produce a bunch of minor league free agents. The Braves have been busy snapping up a few for depth and and perhaps more.
Joel de la Cruz
There are two pitchers named Joel de la Cruz in the database, I’m going to assume that this is the 26 year old RHP first signed by the Brewers in 2006 and not the 19 year old RHP signed last year by the Royals.
The elder de la Cruz spent one season in rookie ball for the Brewers then vanishes from the database until 2009 when he reappears as a Nationals farm hand in the Dominican Summer league (DSL). Baseball America says he was injured during that period but I can’t find any information on exactly what the injury was. In 2010 he played in the DSL for the Yankees and in 2011 he began his climb through minors for them. The high spot of that period were a pair brief AAA stints in 2014 and 2015.
He worked as a reliever until 2014 when he made 22 starts between AA and AAA with a composite 4.44 ERA, 1.405 WHIP in 121 1/3 IP. Last season he split time between AA and AAA once more making nine starts and posting a 3.95 ERA and 1.205 WHIP in 84 and 1/3 IP. Following the season he was released by the Yankees. Here’s a team video of him from 2014.