Brian McCann took the field in a Braves uniform for the first time since 2013 on Tuesday.
McCann, who returned to his original team in November, made his spring debut against the Mets. He played catcher and hit fifth in the order.
He finished 0-for-2, striking out on three pitches and grounding out on the first pitch of his next at-bat. He caught four innings, two of which were pitched by lefty starter Sean Newcomb.
“Day 1, calling signs is weird, setting up is different,” McCann said. “You’re re-training your body where to go, what to do. No matter how much work you put on in the backfield, when you get into game speed, it’s a whole other ball game.”
The Braves signed McCann to split time with Tyler Flowers at backstop. The duo will play a pivotal role in developing the franchise’s young pitchers.
Now 35, McCann hit .212/.301/.339 across 63 games last season. He said he’s fully recovered from midsummer knee surgery.
“There’s just a lot of positive things going on here,” McCann said of the Braves. “Seems like everybody’s young. There’s two or three waves that are coming. It’s not just at the big-league level. ... There’s just arm after arm. It’s a nice luxury to have.”
