If this Braves season had not yet emphasized this lesson enough, here it is again: Depth is the name of the game.
On Wednesday, the Braves signed Ramón Laureano – once a good big-league outfielder – to a minor-league deal. They assigned him to Triple A.
Laureano hit sixth and played right field for the Gwinnett Stripers on Wednesday. He was a major-league center fielder for years, but at this point, Forrest Wall and Eli White are probably better defensive options at that spot. In Laureano’s debut with Gwinnett, he went 1-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. He scored a run.
Laureano, who turns 30 in July, is an eyebrow-raising addition – in a good way – because of the promise and talent he once displayed as an everyday player.
“Awesome teammate,” said Sean Murphy, who played with Laureano in Oakland. “He’s a winner, he’s a gamer, he’s a grinder, he’s intense, he’s passionate. I think those are all good words for Ramón.”
Laureano debuted in 2018 for the Athletics. From then through the end of 2021, he hit .263 with an .800 OPS. In 2021, MLB suspended Laureano for 80 games for violating its PED policy.
Since the start of 2022, he’s batted .211 with a .664 OPS. On May 25, Cleveland released Laureano.
“You just keep adding depth wherever you can,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We have a lot of left-handed guys down there, so it’ll be nice to add a right-handed (that from) what I remember is a plus defender. I don’t think, offensively, he’s had a great year, which has led to where he’s been, but who knows? Maybe a change of scenery and he gets it going. But he’s been a really good player. I think you’re always looking to add depth whenever you can.”
The Braves have made these moves before, and will again. Laureano has always had a great arm. His range probably isn’t what it was years ago.
And with the talent Murphy saw from Laureano, is it possible to believe he’ll one day hit again?
“Absolutely,” Murphy said. “It’s there.”
Double A to the majors
On social media, Triple-A Gwinnett’s X account has joked about the prospects – like Michael Harris II – who jump from Double A to the majors without appearing in Gwinnett.
Spencer Schwellenbach, Wednesday’s Braves starter, is another.
“You know what, though, I remember when I was managing Double A, we sent a lot of guys up here,” Snitker said. “... Over the years, we brought a lot of guys – for a while there, we were bringing them probably more up from Double A than Triple A. He’s a college guy and been around a little bit, and played a lot, I’m sure, of high-pressure games in college and summer leagues and stuff like that. But this will be a nice challenge for him.”
Schwellenbach on Wednesday became the 24th player to be promoted directly to Atlanta from Double-A Mississippi, dating to 2005. He’s the first pitcher to do so since Max Fried made his MLB debut on Aug. 8, 2017.
Schwellenbach allowed three runs over five innings.
Hometown connection
A hometown kid is back this week: Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams went to Blessed Trinity Catholic in Roswell.
He’s having a great year. Still only 23, Abrams already has nine homers – halfway to his 2023 output. He had an .801 OPS entering Wednesday, when he went 0-for-5.
In 2022, Abrams was part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to San Diego. The Padres traded him to Washington.
About the Author
