Atlanta Braves roster moves: add lefty Dylan Lee; recall SS Orlando Arcia

Thursday morning, the Atlanta Braves announced that Edgar Santana went on the paternity list, and sadly Touki Toussaint went on the bereavement list.

The Atlanta Braves announced that Dylan Lee is joining the pen to replace Santana.  As regular readers know, I’ve lobbied for Lee’s addition to the bullpen for a while, as he’s been pitching very well at Gwinnett.

The Marlins selected Lee in the 10th round of the 2016 draft out of Cal State Fresno, where he’d appeared in 42 games and pitched to a 4.29 ERA in 86 innings over five starts and 37 relief appearances, and earned six saves.

After initially using him as a starter, the Marlins moved him to the pen full-time in 2018. He moved swiftly through the system that season, throwing 62 innings over 44 games while pitching to a  1.74 ERA, 0.968 WHIP.

He began the 2019 season with 32 AA games, throwing 37 2/3 innings at a 2.15 ERA, 0.909 WHIP earning himself a promotion to AAA in August.

With AAA New Orleans, Lee threw 15 innings over eight games, posting a 3.00 ERA while striking out 18 and holding batters to a .250/.323/.393/.715 line.

Atlanta Braves acquire Lee.

Lee didn’t pitch in 2020, and with the Marlin minor league system flush with young power arms, they released the then 26-year-old reliever on March 29. The Braves signed Lee on April 15 and assigned him to Gwinnett.

Lee is a 6’- 3, 214-pound lefty, who the folks over at Fish Stripes say featured a four-seamer fastball, changeup, and curveball pitch mix this spring. Baseball America’s draft report had his fastball at 94 back in 2016, so I expect the 92mph mentioned by Fish Stripes early in the spring. He looks pretty good in the Tweet below.

Jake briefly mentioned Lee’s good start at Gwinnett back in May; since that report, he’s improved. This season for the Stripers, Lee’s appeared in 34 games and thrown 45 2/3 innings while pitching to a 2.17 ERA, 0.766 WHIP.

In his 45+ innings, he struck out 52 and walked six – yes, six, you know, the number between five and seven – giving him a 10.9 K/9 ratio and a 5.67 K/BB rate. That’s good, right?

It’s unreasonable to expect those numbers in the majors, but a pitcher who pounds the zone is always a good addition. Welcome aboard Dylan:  may you pitch so well that they can’t send you back to Gwinnett.

That’s a wrap

The Atlanta Braves had two vacancies on the 40-man roster, so no roster move was needed to add Lee.

With the departure of two pitchers, I’d have expected another pitcher, like perhaps Trevor Kelley (34 games, 37.2 IP, 1.67 ERA, 1.088 WHIP, 10.8 K/9), or Kyle Wright, but they brought Orlando Arcia back instead. Maybe they want cover at short, in case Dansby’s little tweak last night gets worse, but it seems to leave the pen a little short heading to San Diego.

Congratulations to Edgar Santana and his lady-wife Maria on the birth of their second child.

Our thoughts and prayers are Touki during this time of loss; you’re in our hearts and thoughts today.