The Braves re-signed veteran catcher Sandy León to a minor league deal, keeping depth behind Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin for 2026.
Braves keep depth behind Murphy and Baldwin
The Atlanta Braves continue to solidify one of their most stable positions — catcher. With Sean Murphy under club control through 2028 and Drake Baldwin emerging as a Rookie of the Year favorite, the Braves’ future behind the plate is in excellent shape.
Murphy is expected to return to form once fully healthy after playing through injury for much of the past year. If Marcell Ozuna doesn’t return in 2026, Murphy and Baldwin could share catcher and designated hitter duties, keeping both bats active in the lineup.
Veteran León returns for Triple-A depth
Atlanta also made a quiet but meaningful move to preserve its depth. On Monday, veteran catcher Sandy León elected free agency after spending the 2025 season in the organization. Less than 24 hours later, the Braves re-signed him to a new minor league contract, providing experienced insurance in case of injury.
León, 35, owns 13 years of MLB experience and appeared in five games for Atlanta this season while spending most of the year with Triple-A Gwinnett (55 games). He won a World Series ring with the Washington Nationals in 2019 and has also caught for Boston, Cleveland, Miami, Minnesota, and Texas.
Braves confident in catcher depth entering offseason
While Atlanta faces several questions this winter — including how to replace Ozuna’s power and reinforce the pitching staff — the catcher position appears set. Between Murphy and Baldwin at the MLB level and León anchoring Gwinnett, the Braves can enter 2026 confident in their structure behind the dish. Now can we get a pitcher or three in through the door next?
