Thankfully, the Atlanta Braves were spared losing any marquee names to free agency this offseason. Sure, there were played that had been good previously and guys that still have value, but there were not any players worthy of qualifying offers and certainly no one that was irreplaceable. The closest the Braves had was Raisel Iglesias, but they re-signed him in short order.
We are just a couple weeks away from the start of spring training and some of those expendable pieces that Atlanta let walk are still hanging around on the free agent market as well as some familiar faces from seasons past.
Here are some of the former Braves players that are still unemployed with spring training coming up fast
No, there was not a thorough sifting through all of the minor league free agents for anyone that is technically still available as a free agent that also has some tangential relationship to the Braves. Our list includes a very familiar slugger that faces an uncertain future going forward as well as a pair of names that you may have forgotten ever played for the Braves at all.
Marcell Ozuna
It is actually a little surprising that Ozuna has lingered on the free agent market for as long as he has. Sure, his drop-off in 2025 was severe and unfortunate, but there are not a lot of power bats available period and he at least has shown that he can be a heart-of-the-order threat. However, being a DH-only aging bat doesn't help his cause nor do his off-the-field issues in recent years. Ozuna will get a job somewhere, but it might not be the opportunity (or paycheck) that he was hoping for.
Evan Phillips
Since 2019, Phillips has logged 241 appearances while posting a 2.88 ERA with the Orioles, Rays, and Dodgers. However, Phillips got his start with the Braves after getting picked in the 17th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Phillips would debut with the Braves before getting traded to Baltimore in the Kevin Gausman deal back in 2018. Given that he had Tommy John at the end of May 2025, he isn't going to be taking the mound anytime soon and will probably wait to sign once he can show off what he is still capable of instead.
Gio Urshela
Finally, we have Gio Urshela who, for 36 games during the injury-ravaged 2024 season, was a true bright spot for Atlanta at a really difficult time when it felt like everyone was getting hurt (foreshadowing). After giving the Braves 1.0 rWAR in his short stint, Urshela moved on to the A's where he struggled before getting designated for assignment. At 34 years old, Urshela is running out of chances in the majors, but he will probably get at least a look in spring training from somebody in need of infield depth.