As we approach the final weeks of Spring Training, the Braves are going to slowly trim the roster until they reach that final 26-man mark.
Atlanta announced more roster moves after Tuesday's game. The team announced they reassigned Nacho Alvarez Jr., Luke Waddell, and Luis Liberato to minor league camp. This leaves the Braves with 36 players in MLB camp.
The #Braves today reassigned INF Nacho Alvarez Jr., INF Luke Waddell and OF Luis Liberato to minor league camp. Atlanta now has 36 players in camp.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 12, 2024
The most notable name included in this round of cuts is coveted infield prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr. He was drafted by the Braves in 2022 and he's been turning a lot of heads since being selected. He will also represent Atlanta during MLB's Spring Breakout which you can watch live on HTHB.
This Spring was pretty good for him as he continued to showcase great defense and bat-to-ball skills in a small sample size. He isn't a big power threat but makes consistent contact. He featured in 13 games this Spring and slashed .263/.391/.316 with 5 hits and 2 RBI.
Alvarez Jr. will most likely begin the 2024 season with the Mississippi Braves but I wouldn't be surprised if he reaches Triple-A after a couple of months.
The other two players cut from the roster were infielder Luke Waddell and outfielder Luis Liberato. Waddell, Atlanta's fifth-round pick in 2021, was having an impressive Spring for the Braves as he slashed .316/.435/.316 with 6 hits and an RBI. You can bet on Waddell beginning the year with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Liberato was signed by the team last November on a minor league deal after spending several seasons with the San Diego Padres organization. He definitely will be roster depth for the Braves and spend the year with the Stripers.
The remaining two weeks are going to be interesting as the Braves try to map out their Opening Day roster. It's fairly clear who the team will feature on a daily basis but there are still questions about the bench and bullpen to be answered.
Overall, Spring Training is going about as expected to this point besides Ronald Acuna Jr. having to miss some time with injury concerns. However, it will be exciting to see what roster the team takes into 2024. Stay tuned for updates!