Atlanta Braves Unexpectedly Add $49 Million All-Star to Lineup

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael DeRosa | Last updated Mar 18, 2025 4:59 PM ET

The Atlanta Braves made some roster moves involving their catchers at Spring Training this week. They released Curt Casali from his minor league contract and assigned veteran catcher Sandy Leon to their minor league camp.

Now, the Braves have made another move behind the plate, as they have signed former All-Star catcher James McCann to a minor league contract. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, McCann would make $1 million if he makes it up to the majors with the NL East club.

McCann, 34, will now provide the Braves with more experienced catching depth as they charge toward the regular season. The Santa Barbara, California native has appeared at the major league level in each of the last 11 seasons.

McCann played in 65 games this past season with the Baltimore Orioles, where he had eight home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .234 batting average. This was after he had six home runs, 24 RBIs, and a .222 batting average in 69 games with Baltimore in 2023.

McCann's best season in the majors was with the Chicago White Sox during his All-Star 2019 campaign. In 118 games, he set career-highs with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs. He also had a .273 batting average, the second-best of his career.

Overall, this is a low-risk move for a Braves club that needs more catching depth. It will be interesting to see if McCann can make the jump to the majors with Atlanta from here.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: