The Atlanta Braves have gotten to work building their pitching depth for 2026. Depth was a bit of an issue for Atlanta last season, so they need to ensure this isn't a problem again. While starting pitching depth may have to come from the free agent or trade markets, there are some potential bargains when it comes to relievers floating around via other means.
Atlanta's front office grabbed a couple of former Orioles off waivers. This puts the 40-man roster at 37 spots occupied. There are plenty of moves left to be made, so this won't be the last time we hear of changes to the roster. This week, the Braves claimed Josh Walker and Carson Ragsdale to try and get some needed relief depth on the cheap.
Braves claim former Orioles pitchers Josh Walker and Carson Ragsdale to build their pitching depth
This isn't Ragsdale's first time being scooped up by the Braves. Ragsdale was picked up by Atlanta in September 2025, but was claimed back by the Orioles a week later.
Ragsdale doesn't have much experience at the big league level, so Atlanta's interest stems from his minor league stats. He has a 4.36 ERA over five minor league seasons with 159 walks and 442 strikeouts. That's a pretty decent strikeout rate, but the walks are a bit high.
Ragsdale's brief five-inning stint with the Orioles last season resulted in a 14.40 ERA. Not the most promising debut for a pitcher to have. As a result, he will likely spend the season at Triple-A and strictly be a depth piece since he has minor league options remaining until he shows he can at least have a chance of helping in the majors.
Walker is a southpaw pitcher with very little MLB experience. He has 26 appearances over the last three seasons with the Mets and Blue Jays. His ERA over that span is 6.59 with 14 walks and 31 strikeouts. He gets a decent amount of groundball outs as well. He is out of minor league options, so he is an easy candidate for being DFA'd if a roster spot is needed.
While these aren't the big moves that Braves fans want to see, they are necessary to ensure there is plenty of depth in case of unforeseen injuries. Hopefully, Atlanta gets a break from that this season and we don't have to worry about it. However, there's no harm in being well-prepared.