Who are the longest-tenured Atlanta Braves players?
The Braves have had plenty of success over the past six seasons, and one reason why is their ability to retain core players. However, it's only natural that with roster turnover, the fewer and fewer Braves remain from rosters over half a decade ago.
But which Braves have managed to stick around the longest? While some players are obvious, there are certainly a few surprises. These are the six longest-tenured active Braves (as of December 15, 2023).
Honorable Mention: Charlie Morton (2008; 2021-Present)
Before we look at the longest-tenured active Braves, I think we should call out an honorable mention. After all, Charlie Morton was a Brave when the team was still wearing the red-billed cap on the road.
Drafted by the Braves in 2002, the righty made his way through the minor league system and made his MLB debut in 2008.
Morton pitched 74.1 innings for the Braves that year with little success. This is where Morton's initial Braves journey came to a close. In 2009, he started with the Gwinnett Braves before being traded to the Pirates that June for Nate McLouth.
But, after stints with the Pirates, Phillies, Astros, and Rays (the latter two being his most successful), Uncle Charlie rejoined the Braves in 2021 and has pitched for the team ever since.
Despite being the only active member of the Braves (Jesse Chavez, please come back) to play a home game at Turner Field, Morton isn't on this list because of his two separate stints.
6. Huascar Ynoa | Braves debut: June 16, 2019
It seems impossible that a guy who's 25 and only has 122.1 career innings could possibly be one of the longest tenured Braves, but thanks to the trades of Michael Soroka and Kyle Wright, Ynoa finds himself the sixth-longest tenured Brave currently in the organization.
Ynoa debuted on June 16, 2019 against the Phillies. He'd find himself on the Gwinnett shuttle several times that season, being recalled four times, but would only appear in two games.
His notable moment with the team came in 2021, when he hit a grand slam against the Nationals. It was his second homer in as many starts.
Braves fans would be forgiven for forgetting he was still on the team, however. Since 2022, he's only pitched in two games. He struggled with the Stripers in 2022 and then missed 2023 recovering from Tommy John Surgery.