The Atlanta Braves are welcoming back a familiar face. They’ve claimed right-handed pitcher Royber Salinas off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.
Braves fans who follow the team’s minor league moves might remember Salinas, who initially signed with Atlanta in 2019. He was sent to Oakland as part of the trade package that secured catcher Sean Murphy, a trade that, in hindsight, is looking more favorable for the Braves by the day.
Salinas had a solid, if not spectacular, journey in the Braves’ farm system. By 2022, he’d climbed as high as High-A Rome, where he posted a respectable 4.11 ERA across 20 starts. Ranked as the Braves’ No. 18 prospect at the time of the Murphy trade, Salinas showed promise with a powerful strikeout rate. However, his development stalled after moving to the Athletics. In 2024, he made it to Triple-A, though he struggled with control and consistency, allowing seven earned runs over just 6 1/3 innings and leaving him with an inflated 9.95 ERA after two appearances.
Salinas did show flashes of potential during the Athletics’ 2024 Spring Training, pitching four scoreless innings while allowing only two hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. But those promising moments weren’t enough for the Athletics to keep him around, and Oakland ultimately put him on waivers, presumably not seeing him as part of their immediate plans as they prepared for their temporary move to Sacramento.
Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution pointed out Salinas’ “promising strikeout numbers” during his earlier stint with Atlanta, a quality that the team’s player development team may be eager to work with once again. Toscano even remarked that Salinas could turn into a good asset for the Braves, especially under the organization’s proven development system.
Interestingly, Salinas’ departure adds to a list of recent letdowns from the Athletics’ side of the Sean Murphy trade. Former top Braves prospect Freddy Tarnok, who was part of the same trade package, was designated for assignment, while Manny Piña was released. With several players from that deal no longer in Oakland’s plans, it raises questions about either the Athletics’ approach to developing talent or the Braves’ sharp eye for who to trade away in deals for high-impact players like Murphy.
While Salinas isn’t expected to start the 2025 season with Atlanta’s big league roster, he may be invited to join the Spring Training team in North Port. For Salinas, a return to the Braves organization could be exactly what he needs to rediscover his potential. The Braves farm system has a reputation for getting the best out of their players, and there’s hope that Salinas could tap into his original promise under familiar coaching.
For fans, this claim is a subtle reminder of the front office’s knack for making smart, low-risk moves. Reclaiming Salinas could be a gamble that pays off in-depth or even a bullpen boost down the line.
