Spring training is right around the corner and the Atlanta Braves find themselves in a great spot with their roster once again heading into the 2024 season. They have star power at nearly every position and the depth they have assembled rivals any team in baseball. Assuming a world where they don't make another move before the season starts, this is still arguably the best team in the league top to bottom.
Most spots on the active big league roster are also pretty well set. There will be a competition for the last spot in the Braves' rotation and a couple spots on the bench as well as in the bullpen are somewhat flexible, but the biggest changes we could see before the season starts have to do with who the Braves carry on their 40-man roster to start the 2024 season.
To be clear, there is no 40-man roster crunch with the Braves. Thanks to a series of moves this offseason especially the Aaron Bummer trade, Atlanta has already culled their 40-man significantly ahead of spring training. The Braves currently have four open spots on their 40-man roster and that doesn't account for the guys that are likely to start the season on the injured list like Ian Anderson which will make more room albeit temporarily.
However, if the Braves went wild adding guys that get cut from other teams in spring training, there is a slight chance that they would need to move guys off their 40-man or they could just decide that there are guys that won't fit into their 2024 plans at all. Here is a look at the Braves players on the 40-man roster that could be on the chopping block.
Penn Murfee
Murfee is a pretty easy choice here because, well, he has already technically failed to make the cut once this offseason. The Braves claimed Murfee off of waivers from the Mets back in November despite the fact that he had Tommy John surgery in June and is likely to miss most of the 2024 season as a result. Murfee has shown an impressive ability to pound the strike zone, limit hard contact, and miss bats when he is healthy, so claiming him despite his injury was a low risk, high reward move.
The funny thing is that even though the Braves claimed Murfee on November 14th, they promptly non-tendered him just a few days later which doesn't make a ton of sense on the surface. However, the Braves' plans became clear when they signed him to a split contract later that month which will just impact how much he is paid based on whether or not he is in the minors vs. giving him a guaranteed big league deal.
Murfee does have some interesting potential, but it is unknown how he will look coming back from Tommy John and he is also about to turn 30. Combine those factors with the fact that they Braves have already technically cut him once already this offseason before he threw a pitch for him and you have a guy that could be expendable if the need ever arose.