NEW YORK – Hard-throwing Braves reliever Mauricio Cabrera has resumed throwing and shouldn’t require a lengthy period of re-strengthening before he can rejoin the major league team.

Cabrera missed the last 10 days of spring training with elbow soreness. Tests showed no structural damage and he played catch twice this week and is scheduled to throw off a bullpen mound Monday.

If all goes well he would likely have one or two more bullpen side sessions and throw live batting-practice once before beginning what should be a brief minor league rehab assignment, Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

“He played pitchers’ catch Monday and today,” Snitker said before Wednesday’s game against the Mets. “I haven’t heard how it went today but he said he just felt a little rusty (Monday) because he hadn’t thrown in a little bit. He’ll do that a couple of times. I think he gets off the mound Monday. If he’s feeling OK and everything it shouldn’t be (too long) because he hasn’t been shut down for that extended a period. So we’re not going to have to really work to build him back.”

The Braves are counting on Cabrera to be one of their top setup men this season. The 23-year-old had baseball’s second-highest average fastball velocity (100 mph) as a rookie while posting a 2.82 ERA and six saves in 41 appearances, totaling 32 strikeouts with 19 walks and no homers allowed in 38 1/3 innings.

“He’ll need to torque it up in a minor league game on rehab,” Snitker said. “Just to get under the lights in competition, you want to make sure. Maybe one or two (rehab appearances). I haven’t had a chance to talk to the medical staff about that, but just in the reports he was feeling OK, so that’s a great sign.”

Minter update: There was also encouraging news about another highly regarded young reliever, left-handed prospect A.J. Minter. He missed most of spring training with inflammation of a nerve near his pitching elbow. Minter resumed throwing again about two weeks ago and could join a minor league team in another week or so, general manager John Coppolella said.

The Braves believe Minter, barring further setbacks, will make an impact with the major league team this season.