Atlanta Braves Announce Decision on 5-Year Veteran Pitcher

The Atlanta Braves selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Danny Young from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, according to the MLB transaction log.

The move places the 32-year-old on the club’s 40-man roster heading into the offseason and prevents him from becoming a minor league free agent.

In a corresponding transaction, the Braves designated infielder Luke Williams for assignment.

Young’s return to the 40-man roster comes days after Atlanta’s 2026 season ended with a National League Division Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The left-hander had been with the organization on a one-year split contract signed in December 2025, which paid him a $925,000 rate for time in the majors.

The deal reunited him with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner after Young was non-tendered by the New York Mets while recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in May 2025.

Young began the 2026 season on the injured list as he completed his rehabilitation. He was activated on July 3 and made 16 appearances with the Braves, totaling 12 1/3 innings.

His overall results were uneven: he posted a solid 2.08 ERA across 8 2/3 innings in July while generating ground balls, but struggled in limited August work.

He finished the regular season with an 8.03 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and 13 walks, allowing three home runs.

The Braves designated him for assignment on August 16 to make room for fellow left-hander Ray Kerr, then outrighted him to Gwinnett after he cleared waivers.

Despite the inflated big-league numbers, Young showed encouraging signs. He threw 13 scoreless innings in the minors and registered roughly a 2 mph velocity increase on his primary offerings, with his sinker averaging 93.7 mph and his slider 82.8 mph.

Over his major-league career spanning parts of five seasons with the Mariners, Braves, and Mets, he owns a 4.68 ERA across 73 innings.

Prior underlying metrics, including a higher strikeout rate and solid ground-ball tendencies in earlier seasons, have suggested more potential than his surface results sometimes indicated.

By selecting his contract, the Braves retain organizational control over a left-handed bullpen option who has previously pitched for the club and remains under team control.

Young will enter the offseason as part of Atlanta’s 40-man roster, providing depth as the team evaluates its pitching needs for 2027. The move is consistent with standard end-of-season roster management to protect players from minor-league free agency while maintaining flexibility.