BRAVES’ ROSTER BREAKDOWN

The skinny: Pastornicky's knee rehab kept him out of spring games until March 20, but he provides a capable bat off the bench who can play second, shortstop or center field.

No. 2 B.J. Upton, CF

Inside the numbers: Upton's .184 batting average in 2013 would have been second-worst among major league regulars to teammate Dan Uggla (.179) had he qualified with 502 plate appearances. He had 446.

Did you know: Upton played on the same Southeast Virginia travel team, the Tidewater Mets, as David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Reynolds.

The skinny: The Braves saw strides in spring training with Upton's adjustments to quiet his mechanics, widen his stance, and eliminate moving parts like a toe tap and pronounced leg kick.

No. 4 Ryan Doumit, C/OF

Inside the numbers: Doumit has reached double-digits in home runs in five of the past six seasons with the Twins and Pirates, averaging 13 per season.

Did you know: Doumit grew up and makes his home in Moses Lake, Wash., a town of 21,000 where daredevil Evel Knievel once lived and owned a Honda motorcycle dealership.

The skinny: The switch-hitting Doumit provides pop off the bench and can serve as a backup catcher, allowing Evan Gattis and Gerald Laird pinch-hitting opportunities.

No. 5 Freddie Freeman, 1B

Inside the numbers: Freeman, who signed an eight-year, $135 million extension in February, ranked second in the majors with a .443 average (58-for-131) with runners in scoring position in 2013.

Did you know: Freeman, who has three consecutive seasons of 20 or more homers, has 11 to go to reach his goal of catching friend and former Braves teammate Chipper Jones, who had 14 consecutive.

The skinny: He is poised for another All-Star caliber season, proving he is the Braves' most consistent and clutch hitter when healthy.

No. 8 Justin Upton, LF

Inside the numbers: Upton hit 12 home runs in April to lead the major leagues, but only 12 in the next four months.

Did you know: Justin was drafted No. 1 overall by the Diamondbacks in 2005, joining his brother B.J. (No. 2 overall by the Rays in 2002) to become the first brothers ever picked Nos. 1 and 2 overall.

The skinny: Batting between Heyward and Freeman in the No. 2 spot in the lineup suited Upton last season, where he hit .301 with 11 homers in 49 games compared with .254 with 16 home runs in 91 games in the No. 3 spot.

No. 11 Gerald Laird, C

Inside the numbers: In his 33 starts at catcher last season, Laird batted .274, and the Braves pitching staff put up a 3.94 ERA.

Did you know: Laird's younger brother, Brandon, is a corner infielder in the Nationals organization, after being traded from the Royals earlier this spring.

The skinny: Laird figures to get 40 to 50 starts behind the plate this season with the departure of Brian McCann in free agency.

No. 14 Ramiro Pena, IF

Inside the numbers: He hit .278 in 50 games — including .368 in 20 games in June — before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery June 27.

Did you know: Both his father and uncle played professional baseball for the Monterrey Sultanes in his native Mexico.

The skinny: Pena, who has proved to be a valuable commodity given National League bench opportunities, is still building arm strength, but showed no ill effects coming off surgery this spring.

No. 17 Jordan Schafer, OF

Inside the numbers: Schafer was hitting .309 when he suffered a stress fracture in his left ankle in June and hit only .176 from that point on in. He spent around five weeks on the disabled list.

Did you know: Schafer was the 99th player to homer in his first major league at-bat. He's hit only 10 others in 1,157 plate appearances.

The skinny: Playing time is limited for Schafer with Heyward and the two Uptons in the outfield, but if B.J. Upton struggles again, Schafer's speed and leadoff abilities might be tempting for manager Fredi Gonzalez.

No. 19 Andrelton Simmons, SS

Inside the numbers: Simmons was rewarded a seven-year, $58 million extension after winning the platinum glove as the best overall defensive player in the National League, saving a record 41 runs with his play on defense.

Did you know: Scouts coveted Simmons for a 96 mph fastball as two-way player at Western Oklahoma Junior College, but the Braves drafted him in the second round as a shortstop, giving him his childhood wish.

The skinny: Simmons could hit .148 instead of last season's .248 and still be valuable because of his glove, but his three walk-off hits and 17 homers indicate he's got more to give on offense.

No. 22 Jason Heyward, RF

Inside the numbers: Heyward hit .254 on the season, but .322 with a .403 on-base percentage in 30 games in the leadoff spot.

Did you know: Heyward, who signed a two-year, $13.3 million contract this winter, gave every member of the 2013 Braves a Sony PSR game system as congratulations for winning the NL East.

The skinny: The Braves were 71-33 with Heyward in the lineup last season and would benefit from a healthy Heyward after he missed 58 games between appendicitis and a fractured jaw.

No. 23 Chris Johnson, 3B

Inside the numbers: Johnson finished 10 points shy of the 2013 National League batting title, hitting .321 to Michael Cuddyer's .331.

Did you know: Johnson's father, Ron, is the manager of the Norfolk Tides, the Baltimore Orioles' Triple-A affiliate.

The skinny: Johnson was the most consistent offensive contributor this side of Freddie Freeman last season, ranking 10th in the NL with a .336 batting average with runners in scoring position.

No. 24 Evan Gattis, C

Inside the numbers: Gattis out-produced Brian McCann last season for the Braves with 21 homers (McCann had 20), 21 doubles (McCann had 13) and 65 RBIs (McCann had 57).

Did you know: In his first major league season, the former parking valet, janitor, and ski-lift instructor, hit the longest home run of the 2013 season: 486 feet off Cole Hamels at Citizens Bank Park.

The skinny: Gattis will go from catching 38 games to about 100 to 110 with McCann's departure.

No. 26 Dan Uggla, 2B

Inside the numbers: Uggla's .179 batting average was the lowest by a qualified batter since Rob Deer hit .179 for the 1991 Detroit Tigers.

Did you know: "Uggla" is Swedish for owl. He was an All-American second baseman for the University of Memphis.

The skinny: The Braves can't afford another fruitless season from Uggla, and if his adjustments fall short, they could turn to Tommy La Stella, waiting in Triple-A.

No. 30 Ervin Santana, RHP

Inside the numbers: Santana pitched 200 or more innings in five of the past eight seasons and tied for fourth in the American League with 23 quality starts last season for the Royals.

Did you know: To avoid being confused with a Twins left-hander, he changed his name from Johan to Ervin when he signed with the Angels in honor of Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

The skinny: The Braves needed a proven starter after Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy blew elbow ligaments, and Santana needed a place to improve his free-agent stock on a one-year contract.

No. 32 Gavin Floyd, RHP

Inside the numbers: He posted five consecutive double-digit win seasons for the Chicago White Sox while making at least 29 starts before tearing his elbow ligament in 2013.

Did you know: Floyd was the No. 4 overall pick of the 2001 draft by the Phillies, behind Joe Mauer (Twins), Mark Prior (Cubs) and Dewon Brazelton (Rays).

The skinny: Floyd has progressed well in his comeback from Tommy John surgery and is on track to join the rotation as early as late April.

No. 34 Aaron Harang, RHP

Inside the numbers: He was 5-12 with a 5.40 ERA in 26 starts in 2013 for the Mariners and Mets, but has a 4.28 ERA in 12 seasons overall in addition to his time with the Athletics, Reds, Padres and Dodgers.

Did you know: At 6-foot-7, Harang is the tallest pitcher on the Braves staff, by two inches over Jordan Walden.

The skinny: The Braves released Freddy Garcia and signed Harang a week before the start of the season, favoring the veteran arm with more life left on his fastball, at 91-92 mph as opposed to Garcia's 85-87.

No. 36 Mike Minor, LHP

Inside the numbers: Minor's 2.90 ERA since the 2012 All-Star break ranks fourth best in the majors among those with a minimum of 40 starts.

Did you know: Minor, who could be the next Brave in line for a long-term contract, changed agents to B.B. Abbott earlier this month.

The skinny: Minor got a late start this spring following Dec. 31 urinary-tract surgery, but will begin on the disabled list and is expected to join the rotation about the third week of April.

No. 38 Anthony Varvaro, RHP

Inside the numbers: Varvaro led Braves relievers in innings pitched last season with 73 1/3 while posting a 2.82 ERA in his first full major league season.

Did you know: Like former teammate Eric O'Flaherty, Varvaro was a reliever the Braves claimed off waivers from Seattle.

The skinny: Varvaro is out of options, which might have helped him made the roster despite a rocky spring when he had an 11.00 ERA through his first eight outings.

No. 39 Jonny Venters, LHP

Inside the numbers: Venters posted a 1.84 ERA in a majors-high 85 appearances in 2012 and hasn't been the same pitcher since, with a 3.22 ERA in 66 games in 2013 and elbow surgery last season.

Did you know: Venters was an option quarterback at Lake Brantley (Fla.) High School who drew interest from Navy and Georgia Southern.

The skinny: Venters hopes to pitch again in June, but coming off second Tommy John surgery, recovery times aren't as easy to predict.

No. 40 Alex Wood, LHP

Inside the numbers: Wood was 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in five August starts as a rookie last season, holding batters to a .190 average.

Did you know: Cliff Lee nodded at Wood and said "Good luck" from the adjacent bullpen in Citizens Bank Park before Wood outdueled him in a 4-1 win in a start Aug. 4.

The skinny: Wood's August stretch gave the Braves confidence he was ready to secure a rotation spot, but he brings the experience of only 11 major league starts (31 appearances).

No. 43 Luis Avilan, LHP

Inside the numbers: His 1.52 ERA ranked third among National League relievers, and his .175 batting average against ranked sixth.

Did you know: Avilan's 1-6-3 double play with the tying run at third base in Game 2 of the division series was just the second such play in postseason history (Cleveland's Bob Lemon, 1948 World Series Game 6.)

The skinny: In only his second major league season, Avilan picked up where injured Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters left off last season and will be counted on for more of the same.

No. 46 Craig Kimbrel, RHP

Inside the numbers: Kimbrel, who signed a four-year $42 million extension, became the youngest of 11 pitchers to reach 50 saves in a season, at age 25.

Did you know: One of Kimbrel's favorite deer-hunting buddies is his wife, Ashley, who harvested an 8-point deer on her first hunting trip.

The skinny: Kimbrel felt more comfortable this spring after the World Baseball Classic disrupted his routine in 2013 and he blew three saves in his first 13 chances.

No. 48 David Carpenter, RHP

Inside the numbers: His 1.78 ERA in a career-high 56 appearances last season ranked fifth-best among National League relievers.

Did you know: Carpenter was drafted by the Cardinals as a catcher out of West Virginia, and they converted him to pitcher in A-ball in 2008.

The skinny: Carpenter has worked on adding a split-finger fastball to his repertoire that includes a mid-90s fastball and a slider that Tim Hudson helped him perfect last season.

No. 49 Julio Teheran, RHP

Inside the numbers: After he was 14-8 with a 3.20 ERA in 30 starts in his first full major league season, Teheran got a six-year, $32.4 million extension from the Braves.

Did you know: Teheran credits a dinner conversation with three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez while pitching in Dominican winter ball with helping him take the step from prospect to rotation fixture.

The skinny: Teheran went from the fifth starter a year ago to opening-day starter this year after Kris Medlen underwent his second Tommy John surgery.

No. 50 Gus Schlosser, RHP

Inside the numbers: His 2.39 ERA last season in Double-A Mississippi was the third-best ERA by any starter in the Braves' minor league system.

Did you know: Schlosser is a rare-sidearmer who's been consistent in a starting role given his effectiveness with a change-up against left-handers.

The skinny: With the Medlen and Beachy injuries, Schlosser emerged as the next line of defense for the rotation and a candidate for long relief.

No. 52 Jordan Walden, RHP

Inside the numbers: Shoulder soreness and a groin injury limited Walden to 47 innings in 2013, about 20 innings fewer each than Avilan, Carpenter and Kimbrel.

Did you know: Walden grew up in the Dallas area, where he was friends with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw and former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The skinny: With Eric O'Flaherty playing for the Athletics and Jonny Venters rehabbing from elbow surgery, the Braves need Walden to carry a bigger set-up load.

No. 53 Cory Gearrin, RHP

Inside the numbers: Gearrin pitched in a career-high 37 major league games last season before being shut down with shoulder soreness in July.

Did you know: Gearrin was a closer for the Mercer Bears when the Braves drafted him in the fourth round in 2007.

The skinny: Gearrin will open the season on the disabled list with elbow-ligament damage and could be headed for Tommy John surgery.

No. 57 David Hale, RHP

Inside the numbers: Hale made his first two major league starts in September, allowing only one run in 11 innings, with one walk and 14 strikeouts.

Did you know: The first major league strikeout for the Princeton graduate came against Padres outfielder Will Venable, also a Princeton graduate.

The skinny: Hale will have a start or two before Ervin Santana and Mike Minor are ready to join the rotation to prove he deserves to stay there, over a guy like Freddy Garcia.

No. 58 Ian Thomas, LHP

Inside the numbers: Thomas was 3-3 with a 2.41 ERA in 26 relief appearances for Double-A Mississippi last year and 4-5 with a 2.88 ERA in 13 starts. He led Mississippi with 123 strikeouts.

Did you know: Thomas went undrafted out of VCU and spent three years pitching for Winnipeg (Manitoba) of the Independent Northern League.

The skinny: He competed this spring to be the second left-hander in the Braves' bullpen alongside Luis Avilan.

No. 59 Ryan Buchter, LHP

Inside the numbers: He walked 51 batters in 62 innings last season for Triple-A Gwinnett, but struck out an eye-opening 103 batters, while posting a 2.76 ERA over 51 games.

Did you know: Buchter, 27, has pitched for eight seasons in the minor leagues after being drafted in the 33rd round by the Nationals.

The skinny: Buchter's command problems resurfaced in spring training, but the Braves liked what they saw in stretches from the left-handed reliever.

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Note: Pitchers Gavin Floyd, Cory Gearrin, Mike Minor and Jonny Venters will begin the season on the disabled list but are expected to return this season, and pitcher Ervin Santana will begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett to continue preparing for his first big-league start of the season, expected to come in mid-April. Also, pitchers Brandon Beachy and Kris Medlen are on the DL and out for the season.