The Atlanta Braves have brought back veteran catcher Sandy Leon into the organization.
Atlanta designated Sandy Leon for assignment on June 18, and after clearing waivers, he elected free agency. However, a day after electing free agency, the 14-year MLB veteran has re-signed with the Braves on a minor-league deal and assigned him to the Gwinnett Stripers in Triple-A, according to the transactions log.
Leon returning to the Braves on a minor-league deal isn’t a shock, as the Braves were hoping to keep the catcher in the system. Atlanta has Drake Baldwin and Joey Bart as their catchers, with Sean Murphy on the injured list.
But, if another injury happens, Leon can come up and be an effective catcher as he knows the staff, but has struggled at the plate.
Leon is hitting .091 in 44 at-bats this season. He made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Washington Nationals and is in his 14th MLB season, and has spent the last two in Atlanta.
Leon won the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018. In his MLB career, he’s appeared in 583 games, hitting .270 with 32 home runs and 152 RBIs.
Braves Traded for Joey Bart
Leon became expendable after Atlanta acquired former second-overall pick Joey Bart from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Atlanta acquired Bart for RHP Hunter Stratton and DFA’d Leon in the process. After the trade, Braves manager Walt Weiss was eager to add Bart to the roster.
“Yeah, I like Joey. I like his presence,” Weiss said. “There’s good communication in between innings… I thought he took some really nice passes at the ball. He just missed a couple balls… He’s got big power. He’s certainly a threat, especially against left-handed pitching, but I like the presence, man. I like the way he looks back there, the way he operates.”
Bart was selected second overall in the 2018 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. He was dealt to the Pirates in 2024.
With the Braves, Bart is 0-for-7, but this season, he’s hitting .231 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs. In his MLB career, he’s hitting .239 with 30 home runs and 120 RBIs.
Atlanta Has Belief in Group
The Braves have one of the top teams in the MLB, and Ozzie Albies believes they have a special group.
Albies also believes this group is comparable to the 2021 team that won the World Series.
“This team is really special,” Albies said. “I’ve been on this team for a long time, and it’s a really special group each and every year. This one is definitely one of the top two that I’ve been on. [It’s a] great group of guys. Our staff [does] everything in their power, every single game to go out there and expect to win every day. I’m really honored to be on this team.”
Weiss, meanwhile, echoed those comments from Albies.
“That’s coming from a pretty good source right there,” Weiss said. “He’s been here through it all. This is my ninth year [with the Braves] and Ozzie has been here longer than that. He’s seen it all. That’s a strong statement. We’ve had some really strong teams here and I would tend to agree with him from where I sit.”
The Braves enter play on June 22 with a record of 48-28.
Braves Make Quick Decision on 14-Year MLB Veteran After Release