The Atlanta Braves announced today that they have signed Tyler Flowers to an extension that will keep Flowers a Brave through 2019 and perhaps even 2020.
The extension the Atlanta Braves signed today will guarantee Tyler Flowers $4 million for 2019, with a club option valued at $6 million for 2020, with a $2 million buyout. Flowers is guaranteed at least $6 million for the next 2 years.
Jon Heyman was the first to report the deal on Twitter. Interesting to note, he also includes this deal reportedly will not prevent the Braves making a run at a more established backstop this offseason if someone like Realmuto were to become available again. Reports also include that Flowers has thoroughly enjoyed his stay in Atlanta and the front office and coaching staff love having Flowers on the roster.
Flowers was drafted by the Braves in both the 2004 and 2005 drafts eventually signing after 2005 out of Chipola College. He would go on to become a top prospect in the Braves organization, but he was traded in 2008 along with other prospects to the White Sox for Boone Logan and Javier Vazquez.
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He played on the South Side in Chicago until the 2015 season when he signed with the Atlanta Braves in free agency. Flowers is a highly regarded “pitch framer” but is very passable as a hitter as well. His best season was just last year when he hit .281 with 12 HR and 49 RBI. His OPS was .823 all while splitting time with Kurt Suzuki. All those numbers were either career highs or right below being career highs.
This season, Flowers has battled injuries since opening day where he suffered a strained oblique but has begun hitting better as the season has worn on, with expected stats based on his hit angle and exit velocity predicting much better success than he’s had. He’s also walked at a career-high 13%+ rate this season.
It will be interesting to see whether the Atlanta Braves will opt to use Flowers in a backup role, or if they find someone to continue to use him in the same role they have the past 3 seasons. Either way, Tyler Flowers will remain an Atlanta Braves player following the 2018 season and continue his career in Atlanta.