Braves announce 24 non-roster invitees to Spring Training

JR Ritchie, Garrett Baumann, and Owen Murphy are three up-and-coming pitching prospects, with Ritchie expected to make his major-league debut at some point in 2026 following a breakout campaign last year. Didier Fuentes is another arm who could factor into the Braves’ rotation after getting a brief cup of coffee in the majors last season.

Among the veterans, 2022 All-Star Martín Pérez is easily the most intriguing non-roster invitee. He’s an experienced lefty who’s posted a 3.50 ERA over his last 98 innings between the Padres and White Sox. Given the concerns about rotation depth, he’ll have every opportunity to earn an Opening Day spot with a strong Spring Training.

A couple of others to watch are catchers Sandy León and Chadwick Tromp. With Sean Murphy expected to miss at least the first month of the season, there’s a roster spot up for grabs. Tromp appeared in eight major-league games between the Braves and Orioles last season and owns a .250 average with a .697 OPS over 12 minor-league seasons. León brings far more big-league experience with 13 years in pro ball, though offense has never been his calling card, as evidenced by his career .207 average and .585 OPS.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Braves add another catcher before Opening Day, but for now, those two appear to be competing for one spot.