Braves Sign Promising Ex-NL Foe's Prospect

The Atlanta Braves signed a 23-year-old outfielder to their 40-man roster on Friday, November 22.

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves continued filling out their 40-man roster Friday. The team announced that it signed outfielder Carlos D. Rodriguez to a 1-year, non-guaranteed contract.

The agreement is a minor-league deal that will move Rodriguez onto the team's 40-man roster.

Both ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and The Athletic's David O'Brien reported the Braves' announcing the move.

"He was a minor league free agent from the Brewers that now gets a 40-man spot," McDaniel tweeted. "Lefty hitter, plys runner, strong defender, hit-over-power, excellent approach. He turns 24 next month."

The Braves announced they signed CF Carlos D. Rodriguez to a non-guaranteed one-year deal.

He was a minor league free agent from the Brewers that now gets a 40-man spot. Lefty hitter, plus runner, strong defender, hit-over-power, excellent approach. He turns 24 next month.

— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) November 22, 2024

"The minor league free agent slashed .284/.36t8/.374 with 6 triples, 4 homers and 17 steals in 115 games last season," tweeted O'Brien.

#Braves signed OF Carlos D. Rodriguez, 23, to a 1-year, non-guaranteed deal. The minor league free agent slashed .284/.368/.374 with 6 triples, 4 homers and 17 steals in 115 games (436 ABs) last season between Brewers' Double-A and Triple-A affiliates (31 w/ Triple-A Nashville).

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) November 22, 2024

As both McDaniel and O'Brien suggested, adding Rodriguez has some upside for the Braves. At Double-A Biloxi in the Milwaukee Brewers organization this past season, he hit .298 with 20 extra-base hits, 42 RBI and 53 runs in 372 plate appearances across 84 games.

Then in 31 games at Triple-A Nashville, Rodriguez slashed .246/.344/.309, as he went 27-for-110 with 17 walks.

Over the past two winters, Rodriguez has played in the Venezuelan Winter League. He's dominated that competition, hitting at least .330 with an OPS greater than .850 the past two offseasons.

Venezuelan Winter ball, however, is far from major league caliber. MLB Trade Rumors' Leo Morgenstern didn't meet the Braves signing Rodriguez with rave reviews.

"Rodriguez has no major league experience and struggled badly in a brief stint against Triple-A competition," Morgenstern wrote. "Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs ranked him as the No. 34 prospect in Milwaukee’s system entering the 2024 season, describing him as a potential fifth outfielder. Keith Law of The Athletic left Rodriguez off his list of the Brewers’ top prospects this past season, while Baseball America has not included him since 2022."

While Rodriguez has never played in the majors, he has a lot of minor league experience. He started in the Brewers organization at the rookie ball level in 2018. He was only 17 years old at the time.

In 2023, he hit .291 with 25 extra-base hits at Double-A Biloxi.

Despite his experience, Rodriguez is still relatively young. He will turn 24 on Dec. 7.

The financial details of his contract have yet to be disclosed. This offseason, he elected minor league free agency from the Brewers.

With his contract non-guaranteed, though, the Braves can release him from their roster at any point without having to continue paying his salary.