Atlanta Braves sign Jesus Aguilar to a Minor League Deal

The Atlanta Braves made a minor move over the last few days as they signed Jesus Aguilar to a minor league deal. He was in Oakland to start the year before being released.

This year for the Athletics, Aguilar played 35 games with 115 plate appearances hitting .221/.281/.385 with 5 HR, 8 R, 9 RBI, .283 wOBA & 83 wRC+. Getting released by the Athletics in 2023 is certainly not the best look for a player. However, Ryan Noda breaking out and taking over as an everyday first baseman for the Athletics probably helped pushed Aguilar out.

He is a career .253/.322/.446 hitter which includes a .328 wOBA & 106 wRC+. Defensively, he can stand over at first base but he would be better off as a DH. He could serve as a solid bench bat off the bench. If the Braves were to ever bring him to the majors, that would probably be his primary role, as a potential pinch hitter against a left hander.

Braves fans know Aguilar well because of his time with the Miami Marlins. Not only was he a prominent figure on those Marlins teams, he played well against the Braves.

In 2020, he hit .375/.422/.575 2 HR, 7 R, 8 RBI, with a .421 wOBA, & 168 wRC+ in 10 games. In 2021, he hit .327/.406/.473 2 HR, 6 R, 12 RBI with a .381 wOBA & 141 wRC+ in 15 games. Last year, he hit .262/.373/.500 3 HR, 5 R, 6 RBI, .376 wOBA, & 147 wRC+ in 13 games.

Aguilar is nice depth to have at this point in the season. He can play in Gwinnett and see if the coaches down their can fine tune his swing. He can come up if there is an injury or if the Braves can get him rolling again, he could be a nice addition to the major league bench.

He also provides great vibes which is always great. He has had some great interactions with a few members of the Braves over the last few years. He seems like he would be a great fit in the clubhouse.

It is a minor league deal, but it could be something worth monitoring. Maybe Jesus Aguilar makes his way to Atlanta at some point in 2023.