Braves Make Surprising Move With 18-Year-Old Prospect

The Atlanta Braves have released right-handed pitcher Wilmer Almonte, an 18-year-old international signing who never gained traction in the organization’s minor league system.

The move, confirmed through the transaction listings on MLB.com, comes as the club prepares for the trade deadline and looks to reshape its pitching depth both at the major league level and throughout the farm system.

Almonte joined the Braves in January 2025 as part of the team’s international amateur class. Assigned to the Dominican Summer League Braves, he spent much of his first professional season sidelined after being placed on the 60-day injured list in May.

This year he returned to action and appeared in 11 games, finishing with a 1-1 record, a 7.90 ERA, and a 2.41 WHIP. Those numbers left him near the bottom of the organizational depth chart, and he never appeared on the club’s top-30 prospect rankings.

While the release of a low-level prospect carries limited immediate impact, it arrives against a backdrop of more ambitious pitching moves the Braves are expected to pursue before the deadline.

The club has been linked to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, though industry observers currently view the Milwaukee Brewers as the favorite and rank Atlanta behind both Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

One projected package that could interest the Tigers includes right-hander Didier Fuentes and shortstop Alex Lodise, the Braves’ No. 5 overall prospect.

Some analysts have suggested Atlanta might also explore a deal for Tigers starter Casey Mize, either as a standalone addition or as part of a larger exchange involving Skubal.

Mize’s value is complicated by recurring groin injuries that have already landed him on the injured list three times this season. When healthy, however, he has pitched effectively and could offer a more cost-efficient option than a full pursuit of Skubal.

The Braves’ rotation has been strained by injuries, forcing greater reliance on pitchers such as Bryce Elder and Martín Pérez. Adding a high-upside arm would strengthen their position in a competitive National League landscape that includes the Dodgers and Brewers. R

eleasing Almonte clears a small amount of roster space and signals that the organization is focused on immediate help rather than retaining every developmental arm in the lower minors.

Whether the Braves ultimately land Skubal, Mize, or another starter remains uncertain, but the decision to part ways with the teenage right-hander underscores the club’s readiness to make adjustments as the trade deadline approaches.