Atlanta Braves Phantom Players (and Almost Phantom Players) Since 2013
The Braves called up Charlie Culberson on May 19, but at the time of this writing over two weeks later, the fan favorite still hasn't appeared in a game. If he doesn't, he could be a rare instance of a player making the major league roster for a team, while never actually appearing in a game in that season.
Of course, Culberson has played for the Braves in the past, but there have been seven players in the last decade who the team called up and spent at least a day on the active roster, and never got into a game. So, if you look up their Baseball-Reference pages, it appears that they were never actually on the team.
This is what's known as a phantom player, and we're going to find the Braves' version of a phantom player.
What is a phantom player?
A phantom player in baseball is a player who is called up to an active major league roster, but never actually appears in a game. There have been several examples of phantom players, including a few players on this list, but Brian Jeroloman holds the record for the most time spent on an MLB roster without appearing in a game, spending 37 days without entering a game.
In August of 2011, the Blue Jays called up the catcher and kept him on the roster for the remainder of the season, but Jeroloman never actually appeared in a game. It was revealed after the season he was dealing with an injury, and even though the catcher played five more minor league seasons, he never made his major league debut.
For the purpose of this article, we'll be looking at players who the Braves called up to their active roster, but never actually got into a game for the team. Some might have gotten into MLB games on other teams, but others are true phantom players, with the Braves being their one shot at the bigs.
This list only includes players who were on the active roster during the season, so no Bronson Arroyo here.
Phantom Atlanta Braves players since 2013
Ronnier Mustelier (2016)
Ronnier Mustelier is one of three true phantom players on this list who never (or still haven't) made their major league debut despite being on a big league roster.
In 2009, he defected from Cuba and signed with the New York Yankees in 2011 as a 26-year-old. The 3B/OF reached AAA by 2012, and hit well (.815 OPS), but wasn't able to crack the big league squad. He'd regress in 2013 and would be released by the Yankees after playing just 13 games in 2014.
After not playing in 2015, the Braves signed him to a minor league contract for the 2016 season, and the righty hit decently in 469 PAs, slashing .291/.353/.394.
On July 3, 2016, the Braves took on the Marlins in the Fort Bragg Game and each team was allowed to add an additional player to the roster. The Braves opted to add Mustelier.
The Braves have selected the contract of INF Ronnier Mustelier (#20) for tonight's Fort Bragg Game. Each team is allowed a 26th roster spot.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 3, 2016
The team lost 5-2, and Brian Snitker opted to use Emilio Bonifacio and A.J. Pierzynski as pinch-hitters over Mustelier. After the game, the Cuban-born outfielder was sent back to Gwinnett. Two weeks later, he was outrighted off the 40-man roster, and when September call-ups came around, he was left in Gwinnett.
2016 was the last year Mustelier was with an MLB-affiliated organization, but he played in the Mexican League until 2022. He is now the interim manager of Tigres de Quintana Roo, taking over after former Braves, Jesse Garcia, was fired.
Chad Bell (2018)
On May 15, 2018, the Braves claimed Bell off waivers from the Detroit Tigers. Bell had pitched with the Tigers in the 2017 and 2018 seasons but had struggled in both seasons, allowing 55 runs in 69.2 innings.
The Braves optioned the lefty to Gwinnett immediately and he did not fare well, pitching 46.1 innings and allowing 32 runs (6.22 ERA). However, on August 10, the Braves called Bell and Chad Sobotka up from Gwinnett.
Anibal Sanchez had left the game the day before, requiring the Braves to use Wes Parsons for five innings. Adam McCreery also pitched one inning, but threw 30 pitches. Both rookies were sent down after the game.
Bell's stint on the active roster lasted one day. After the Braves series opener against the Brewers, where Kevin Gausman pitched eight innings and Chad Sobotka came in to finish out a 10-1 game, Bell was optioned and Kolby Allard was called up.
The #Braves today recalled LHP Kolby Allard from Triple-A Gwinnett after optioning LHP Chad Bell to @GoStripers postgame yesterday.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 11, 2018
Bell actually never appeared in another MLB game after 2018. After the 2018 season, he pitched two seasons for the Hanwha Eagles in Korea and is now the Georgia State Panthers' pitching coach.
Jasseel De La Cruz (2020, 2021)
Jasseel De La Cruz not only has the distinction of being a true phantom player, like Mustelier, he also has the unfortunate distinction of getting called up in two separate seasons without making it to the bigs.
De La Cruz signed with the Braves as an international free agent in 2015 and slowly rose through the ranks. At the end of the 2019 season, the Braves added the right-handed reliever to the 40-man roster to protect him for the Rule 5 Draft, and on September 15, 2020, he was added to the major league roster.
The previous night, Touki Toussaint started, allowed eight runs (five earned) and didn't get out of the third. The Braves ended up using four relievers and Toussaint was optioned after the game.
The #Braves today recalled RHP Jasseel De La Cruz to the active roster after optioning RHP Touki Toussaint to the alternate training site following last night’s game.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 15, 2020
De La Cruz's first stint in the bigs lasted one day, as he didn't get to the 5-1 victory over the Orioles, and was optioned after the game in place of Braves legend, Cole Hamels, whose jersey you can still buy on MLB.com for full price at the low price of $359.99 (please do not buy this jersey).
De La Cruz would get a second chance in the bigs in 2021, after the Braves optioned Sean Kazmar Jr. and designated Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment. Once again, the team was in need of bullpen arms, after Charlie Morton couldn't get out of the first.
De La Cruz and Victor Arano (more on him in a second) were called up and both were sent down two days later without appearing in a game.
De la Cruz became a free agent after the 2022 season and is currently in the Oakland Athletics organization, so there's still a chance he gets his long awaited major league debut.
Victor Arano (2021)
Victor Arano had pitched in three different seasons for the Phillies by the time the Braves claimed off waivers in 2021.
Arano was called up on the same day as De La Cruz and neither appeared in a game. Even though Arano stuck with the organization the remainder of the year, he never got another shot on the Braves.
He signed with the Nationals after the season and pitched 43 games in 2022. The righty is still with the organization this year, but a shoulder injury has sidelined him the entire season.
Tanner Roark (2021)
Tanner Roark is mostly known for his five years spent with the Washington Nationals, but when he signed a minor league deal with the Braves in 2021, it was his fourth organization in three seasons.
Roark pitched well for Gwinnett and on June 24, he was called up along with Jesse Chavez. Like the other pitchers on this list, the Braves were in need of long relievers.
Jesse Chavez and Tanner Roark are both here tonight. Kyle Wright and Ty Tice were optioned. To make room for Chavez and Roark on the 40-man, Tucker Davidson and Alex Jackson were transferred to the 60-day IL
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 24, 2021
While Chavez went on tobecome a fan favorite, Roark's tenure with the big league club only lasted three days. On June 27, he was optioned to make room for Kyle Muller, and opted out of his contract on September 5, never appearing in a game with the team.
Ryan Goins (2022)
Prior to joining the Braves organization in 2021, Ryan Goins had played in eight major league seasons, playing with the Blue Jays, Royals, and White Sox, with varying degrees of success.
The infielder would play all of the 2021 season with Gwinnett, and it was looking like he'd spend all of 2022 with the Stripers as well. But after Chadwick Tromp strained his quad after a legendary game against the Marlins, the Braves needed an extra position player.
The #Braves today recalled RHP Freddy Tarnok to Atlanta and selected INF Ryan Goins to the major league roster. In order to make room on the roster, the club placed C Chadwick Tromp on the 10-day injured list, backdated to August 14, with a strained left quadricep.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 16, 2022
Goins would stay with the team for a week before being optioned after Ehire Adrianza returned from the IL, but he would never actually enter into a game.
Alan Rangel (2022)
Alan Rangel was signed by the Braves as an international free agent in 2014, and would slowly rise through the minor leagues. After the end of the 2021 season, the team added him to the 40-man to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft (just like De La Cruz two seasons earlier), despite only pitching in 34 innings at AA Mississippi.
The righty spent the majority of 2022 in Mississippi, and struggled, but when Spencer Strider was placed on the IL, the Braves opted to call him up. Rangel spent five days on the active roster, before being sent down to make room for Kyle Muller.
Rangel, unlike the others on this list, is still in the Braves system and still has plenty of time to debut.
Almost phantom Braves
There have been several players who appeared in just one game for the organization in the last decade.
Ryan Buchter (2014)
John Cornely (2015)
Tony Sanchez (2017)
Chase Whitley (2018)
John Ryan Murphy (2019)
Scott Schebler (2020)
Chris Rusin (2020)
Patrick Weigel (2020)
Cole Hamels (2020)
Ty Tice (2021)
Jay Flaa (2021
Freddy Tarnok (2022)
Rylan Bannon (2022)