Braves refresher course: A care package on eve of spring training

Joshua Adam Donaldson was born Dec. 8, 1985 in Pensacola, Fla. Donaldson’s nickname is “Bringer of Rain” Donaldson was drafted by the Cubs with the 48th pick of the 2007 draft and traded to Oakland the next year. Donaldson's MLB debut came April 30, 2010, with Oakland at Toronto. The next day Donaldson’s first hit was a two-run homer off Dana Eveland of Toronto. Donaldson was a catcher for his first 10 games, but he settled in at third base. Donaldson was the American League MVP in 2015, when he led the

The long wait is almost over.

The last we saw the Braves play Oct. 8, when their National League Division Series against the Dodgers ended with a loss in Game 4.

When pitchers and catchers report to Champion Stadium at Disney World tomorrow, 130 days will have passed since that season-ending loss to the Dodgers. In the interim, the Braves added Josh Donaldson to play third base and try to give the lineup a boost. Also, Brian McCann returned home to join Tyler Flowers in this season’s catching mix.

It’s tempting to say that little else changed, and in terms of key names on the roster, little did, but that doesn’t mean the 25-man roster that leaves Orlando won’t include some new faces or new roles.

In preparation for a spring that will focus on the pitching staff and settling on a right fielder, here’s a look at some of how the AJC tracked the Braves’ offseason, beginning with a five-part preview of the spring written by our Braves beat writer Gabriel Burns and followed by a collection of Q&A with 10 Braves players.

» Outfield: Ronald Acuna ready for encore

» Infield: Josh Donaldson added to the mix

» The bench: This one built on versatility

» Catching: Two Georgians comprise a tag team

» Q&A: Charlie Culberson talks about his first season back in his home state and the improved NL East