The wait is almost over, as the Atlanta Braves are set to kick off their 2025 regular season on March 27 against the Padres. Opening Day can’t come soon enough, but there’s still work to be done in camp as the team finalizes its roster decisions. Atlanta is still sorting out which players will break camp with the big league club and who will either start the year in the minors or move on elsewhere.
At this point in spring training, most of the players remaining in camp are expected to stick around within the organization in some capacity. The Braves place a strong emphasis on maintaining solid Triple-A depth for the inevitable roster needs that pop up during the season. So, while more roster cuts are expected in the coming days, many of those players will likely remain part of Atlanta’s plans in 2025.
The most recent roster moves are a good example. The Braves reassigned four veterans to minor league camp, though all of them could be called upon as the season unfolds.
Braves cut 4 players from spring training roster in big boost for Daysbel Hernandez and Angel Perdomo
The team announced today that left-hander Jake Diekman, right-hander Buck Farmer, catcher Curt Casali, and outfielder Jake Marisnick have all been reassigned to minor league camp. Following these moves, Atlanta now has 39 players remaining in big league camp.
While there’s no major news here, these latest roster cuts do provide a bit more clarity regarding the bullpen competition. Jake Marisnick and Curt Casali were always likely to start the year at Triple-A Gwinnett, but Jake Diekman and Buck Farmer were serious contenders for spots in Atlanta’s bullpen. The Braves will look to keep both pitchers stashed in the minors as valuable depth, and there’s a strong chance they’ll be called up early in the 2025 season as Atlanta cycles arms in and out of the bullpen.
With Diekman and Farmer no longer in the mix, it appears that Daysbel Hernandez and Angel Perdomo have a clear path to securing spots on the Opening Day roster. Meanwhile, Anderson Pilar’s struggles in camp could put him on the chopping block in the next wave of cuts, and he may end up being returned as a Rule 5 selection. Two of the more likely challengers to Hernandez and Perdomo are now out of the running, which bodes well for both pitchers as the season approaches.
Of course, there’s always a chance the Braves have a surprise or two up their sleeves as they continue to trim the roster. It wouldn’t be shocking to see a less-talked-about player make a push, or for Alex Anthopoulos to dip back into free agency for a bargain addition. With Opening Day fast approaching, we’ll find out soon enough how it all shakes out.
