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10 players you might’ve forgotten were Atlanta Braves

By Matt Melton

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 27: First baseman Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Atlanta Braves on September 27, 2014 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 27: First baseman Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Atlanta Braves on September 27, 2014 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Scott Kazmir (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

10. Willians Astudillo

A current free agent who has appeared in a combined 167 games with the Minnesota Twins across the last four seasons, did you know that “La Tortuga” spent one season in the Braves organization back in 2016?

After electing free agency back in 2015 after multiple years in the Phillies organization, the Braves signed Astudillo to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training back on November 19, 2015.

Assigned to Double-A on April 4, 2016, the (then) 24-year-old spent the 2016 season with the Mississippi Braves.

Astudillo enjoyed some success with Mississippi slashing a combined .267/.293/.332 across 89 games in 2016, a season that also included a Double-A Southern League All-Star appearance.

As usual for him, he struck out 3.2% of the time and walked in only 1.5% of plate appearances.

Electing free agency at season’s end, Astudillo spent time in the Diamondbacks organization in 2017 before joining the Twins in 2018.

9. Scott Kazmir

A 13-year MLB veteran and three-time All-Star, did you know that Kazmir spent time in the Braves organization between 2016 and his recent return to a major league mound in 2021?

After spending the 2016 season with the Dodgers, the veteran southpaw was traded to the Braves as part of a multi-player deal that sent Matt Kemp to Los Angeles (more on that later).

Kazmir would go on to spend spring training with the Braves entering the 2018 season, but was released by the Braves back on March 24, 2018. Aside from Kazmir pitching 15 innings in Independent Ball in 2020, this was Kazmir’s last appearance before signing with the Giants last February.

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