The Atlanta Braves have made a free agent signing at the minor league level in recent days according to the club's transactions log, as the organization has signed right-handed pitcher Tyree Thompson.
Thompson previously elected free agency after last season back on November 6 and was signed to a minor league deal by the Braves on March 17.
Atlanta Braves sign pitcher Tyree Thompson to minor league deal
Thompson, a 26-year-old right-hander, spent the entirety of the 2023 minor league season within the Atlanta Braves organization, with a majority of his time spent with Low-A Augusta. Making a total of 18 appearances with the GreenJackets, two of which were starts, Thompson owned a 0-2 record with a 2.86 ERA and 47:17 K/BB ratio across 44 innings pitched.
In 2023, Thompson also made 10 relief appearances with High-A Rome which re-branded to the Rome Emperors during the offseason, owning a 3-0 record with a 4.43 ERA and 31:15 K/BB ratio across 22.1 innings. Thompson also had a career-high three saves with the Braves a year ago.
For the 2023 season overall, Thompson posted combined totals of a 3-2 record with a 3.39 ERA and 78:32 K/BB ratio across 66.1 innings. Thompson also held the previously mentioned three saves over that stretch, with two of his 28 appearances having been starts.
Tyree Thompson made this look easy 😮💨
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 2, 2023
The @Braves prospect makes a behind-the-back snag on the mound for the @GreenJackets! pic.twitter.com/UGd222X5sT
This was also a bounce-back season for the right-hander, as Thompson had only a combined 17.2 innings with the Texas Rangers organization during the 2022 season. Over that sample size, Thompson held a 1-0 record with a 7.13 ERA and an 18:12 K/BB ratio.
A former 26th-round pick from the 2016 MLB Draft out of high school, Thompson has a combined 383 innings pitched across his seven-year professional career, with 55 of his 107 career appearances having been starts. Across those seven seasons, six of which were spent in the minor leagues of the Rangers organization, Thompson holds a career 3.97 ERA.
Thompson is likely a pure minor league depth move and is likely to see the Double-A level for the first time in his professional career at some point in 2024. Pitching depth is a must-have for every team and hopefully, Thompson can take advantage of the opportunity and pitch well this year.