Braves sign former World Series champion

Catcher Sandy Leon has returned to the Braves on a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. The veteran was assigned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, where he’s spent the majority of the past two seasons. Leon appeared in five games with Atlanta over the final two months of the 2025 campaign.

The 36-year-old Leon joined Atlanta as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season. He played in 79 games with the Stripers that year, but didn’t make an appearance in the big leagues for the first time since 2011. Leon had two separate stints with the Braves this past season. He made his MLB return on July 22, coming on as a defensive replacement. Leon was sent back to Triple-A on August 15, only to come back up a few weeks later. Leon finished the year with just one hit in 12 at-bats, though he made it count, launching a three-run home run off Craig Kimbrel on Sept. 14.

Leon made his debut with the Nationals in 2012. He’s spent parts of 13 MLB seasons with seven different teams. The backstop had his longest big-league stretch with one organization from 2015 to 2019 with Boston. He appeared in 358 regular-season games with the Red Sox. Leon was part of the World Series-winning squad in 2018.

The 2016 season was Leon’s only campaign as a viable hitter at the highest level. He posted a 124 wRC+ across 283 plate appearances. Leon popped seven home runs and drove in 35 while splitting time with Christian Vázquez. He would never post another season with better than a 66 wRC+. Leon is more known for his work behind the plate. He threw out at least 36% of would-be base stealers in each of his first three seasons in Boston. Statcast began tracking fielding run value in 2018, and Leon ranked fourth among catchers that season.

Leon will serve as a depth option for Atlanta behind Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. The Braves ranked sixth in OPS at the position this past season. Baldwin is among the favorites for NL Rookie of the Year after slashing .274/.341/.469 in his first taste of MLB action. Murphy failed to hit .200 for the second straight year, but did pop 16 homers in just 337 plate appearances. Murphy has been banged up during his tenure in Atlanta, so Leon could assume backup duties behind Baldwin if injuries strike again.