LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Braves released corner infielder Mat Gamel, who reinjured his twice-surgically-repaired right knee while working out last week before reporting to spring training.
The 28-year-old former Brewers prospect signed a minor league deal this winter and was viewed as a low-cost bench candidate with good left-handed power. However, the Braves traded for switch-hitting bench player Ryan Doumit later in the offseason, and also have switch-hitting Joey Terdoslavich as a backup first base/right field option.
Gamel missed most of the past two seasons after twice tearing the right anterior cruciate ligament. In his last healthy season in 2011, he hit .310 with 28 home runs, 96 RBIs and a .372 on-base percentage in 128 games at Triple-A Nashville.