Breaking: After turning down a contract offer today, Atlanta Braves coach Brian Snitker confirms Matt Olson’s replacement.
The Braves eliminated two of their best prospects in their first round of spring training roster cuts.
The Braves have a lot more cuts to make before they finalize their 26-man roster.
Even though spring training has only lasted four games, the Atlanta Braves have already seen enough of the four guys to know that they won’t be on the team on Opening Day.
The Braves cut Hurston Waldrep and Dylan Dodd in their first round of roster cuts in 2025.
With Ian Anderson and Grant Holmes leading the race for the remaining two places, top prospect Hurston Waldrep had little chance of making the rotation out of camp going into spring training. The Braves appear to have determined that the young prospect will require at least a little more seasoning in Gwinnett after his one inning against the Pirates on Tuesday.
In his first game of the spring, he only threw eight of his 16 pitches for strikes, but he kept the Pirates off the board.
The other player on the 40-man roster to be optioned was Dylan Dodd. In the opening spring training game against the Twins, Dodd pitched just one inning and had a rough game. In 17 pitches, the lefty gave up three hits and two runs.
Dodd has had a terrible time since he showed potential at the team’s spring training in 2023. There is not much time left for the 26-year-old to establish himself as a serious major league option, but he will get another chance to do it in Gwinnett.
Despite signing with the Braves early in the summer, Enoli Paredes was not given much opportunity to establish himself as a member of the 26-man roster. The right-hander gave up three hits and a run in his inning against the Pirates, throwing 25 pitches—just 13 of which were for strikes.
It wouldn’t be astonishing if the 29-year-old made an appearance for the major league team at some time during the 2025 season, given his recent strong performance in the lower leagues.
Finally, Royber Salinas was sent to minor league camp by the Braves. In the Sean Murphy trade, Salinas, a former Braves prospect, was transferred to the Athletics. The starting pitcher returned to the Braves this summer after failing to establish himself with the Athletics.
Salinas was cut before ever playing in a spring training game, in contrast to the other three pitchers. It appears that the Gwinnett Stripers’ administration was aware that he would eventually be included in the rotation.
The Braves announced following Tuesday’s games that they had sent two non-roster invitees to minor league camp and optioned two pitchers on the 40-man roster.
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