The Braves added outfielder Mallex Smith and right-hander John Gant to their 40-man roster, the team announced Thursday.
Players on the 40-man roster are eligible to be added to the 25-man active roster. In the case of Gant, who has played five professional seasons since being drafted, his addition to the 40-man roster also protects him from exposure in next month’s Rule 5 draft.
The Braves acquired Smith, 22, from the Padres in December as part of the Justin Upton trade. He is a candidate to join the major-league roster in 2016 after he was promoted from Double-A Mississippi to Triple-A Gwinnett this season. Smith hit .306 with a .373 on-base percentage and 57 stolen bases in 70 attempts between Mississippi and Gwinnett, and the Braves named him the organizational player of the year.
The Braves acquired Gant in July as part of the Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson trade. He started seven games for Mississippi and posted a 1.99 ERA over 40 2/3 innings 43 strikeouts and 14 walks.
