James McCann may be a familiar name to MLB fans, but in 2025, he’s playing the waiting game — and doing it pretty well — with Triple-A Gwinnett. His minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves comes with a unique rolling opt-out clause per The Athletic, giving him a shot to jump back to the majors if any team comes calling.
The Catching Logjam in Atlanta
McCann’s path back to The Show is a tight squeeze in Atlanta. The Braves have two capable catchers already entrenched at the major league level. Despite some contact concerns (30.6% strikeout rate), Sean Murphy is showing his power again with nine homers and a .459 slugging percentage.
His .222/.325/.459 slash line is good for a 118 wRC+ — not elite, but solid, especially when paired with reliable defense. More importantly, he’s locked in for three more years at $15 million annually. That’s commitment.
Drake Baldwin, meanwhile, is making noise. The rookie is flashing both power and consistency with a .291/.343/.488 line and seven home runs. He’s striking out at just a 15.3% clip — exceptional for a rookie — and the defensive metrics suggest he can handle the job behind the plate.
Baldwin’s performance has put the Braves in a nice spot for now, but it’s created a wall McCann is unlikely to scale without a major shake-up.
The Rolling Opt-Out: A Smart Lifeline
That’s why the rolling opt-out makes so much sense. Modeled after the deal the Braves gave Craig Kimbrel earlier, the clause lets McCann leave if another team offers him a big-league opportunity. Atlanta would either have to call him up or let him walk. It’s a show of respect for McCann’s decade of MLB service time — and a practical acknowledgment that he’s currently blocked.
McCann isn’t just stashing a jersey in Gwinnett. He’s producing. In 138 plate appearances, he’s hitting .281/.319/.484 with six home runs and a 110 wRC+. Yes, his BABIP is a little bloated at .333, but the power is there, and that’s always attractive in a backup catching role.
Could McCann Still Help Atlanta?
In a normal year, McCann may have no shot at making it up to Atlanta. But 2025 isn’t exactly going according to plan for the Braves. If the team slips further in the standings, they may explore a mid-season reshuffle. Murphy — solid but pricey — could become a trade chip if the Braves pivot toward the future. Baldwin would slide into a full-time role, and suddenly McCann could be the next man up.
Then again, injuries happen. At catcher, they happen a lot. All it takes is one bad swing, one awkward collision at the plate, and the whole catching depth chart shifts. That goes not just for the Braves but every club in the majors. With his rolling opt-out, McCann is in a prime spot to pounce when — not if — a catching opportunity opens up.
Braves Have a Veteran on Standby
McCann has had a roller-coaster career. Once a solid contributor in Chicago, he parlayed his 2019–2020 production into a $40+ million deal with the Mets. Unfortunately, only to see it all unravel over four seasons of underwhelming numbers. But at 33, he’s not done — and this stint in Gwinnett is keeping him sharp and relevant.
