Braves sign outfielder Connor Capel According to the trade tracker on Capel’s MLB.com profile page, the deal is a minor league deal. The deal could include an invitation to 2025 MLB Spring Training.
Capel was a fifth-round pick by Cleveland in the 2016 draft and was later traded to the Cardinals Oscar Mercado Was traded back in 2018. He played just nine games for St. Louis before being designated for assignment that September, but the then-Oakland Athletics claimed him off waivers and added him to the roster. While Capel struggled with a .176/.211/.353 batting line with the Cardinals, he found another gear in Oakland and slashed .371/.425 over the final 40 games of the season. / .600 batting average.
Capel’s strong performance was enough to convince the Athletics to add him to the 2023 Opening Day roster. , only 0.260/.372/.329. Those on-base skills were enough to keep his overall slash line above league average, but a lack of power led to the Athletics drafting him to Triple-A. After being sent back to the minor leagues, Capel struggled in the club’s Las Vegas affiliate, hitting just .252/.346/.402 in a Pacific Coast League offensive environment. That led to the Athletics removing Capel from the 40-man roster entirely, allowing him to become a free agent after the 2023 campaign.
Eventually, Capel joined the Reds as a free agent via a minor league deal. At the time, it seemed unlikely that he would impact the major league club in 2024, given Cincinnati’s crowded position mix. However, things quickly changed for the Red Army thereafter. Noelvi Marte Suspended first half of 2024 due to failed PED test and injury TJ Friedel, Matt McLeanand Christian Encarnacion-Strand Opened up plenty of playing time in Cincinnati. A surge of injuries thrust Capel onto the major league roster in May, although he appeared in just five games for the Reds before being designated for assignment. After going 2-for-8 with a stolen base and a run scored in Cincinnati, Capel returned to Triple-A Louisville, where he slashed .218/.343/.432 in 74 games before hitting the road earlier this winter. Back to free agency.
Now that Capel has signed with the Braves, he hopes to provide depth to the club’s left side of the non-player outfield. He will add right click Brian de la Cruz Atlanta looks to bolster its outfield depth and fill that role. and Ronald Acuna Jr. The club is not expected to be ready for Opening Day after tearing its ACL early last year, leaving the club with little certainty in the outfield. Michael Harris II in midfield and Jared Kelenic As a potential option at corner position. The Braves plan to add at least one outfielder who could provide more certainty than De La Cruz or Capel, but the pair could still compete for backup roles with the club this spring, or if additional injuries require Further complicating the club’s outfield plans, they could step in.
