Well, baseball is a game of opportunities, and for Charles Leblanc, the road back to the big leagues just hit another detour. The Atlanta Braves officially announced on March 13 that they had reassigned Leblanc to minor league camp, trimming their roster as Opening Day approaches.
That leaves 43 players still fighting for a spot, but with the active roster needing to be cut to 26 before March 27, the numbers game wasn’t in Leblanc’s favor this time.
A Promising MLB Debut with Miami
Leblanc first cracked the major leagues in 2022 with the Miami Marlins, and he made a solid impression in his 48-game stint. A .263 batting average, a .723 OPS, and flashes of power with four home runs and 10 doubles? Not bad at all for a rookie.
But baseball can be ruthless, and when the Marlins signed Jean Segura in January 2023, Leblanc was designated for assignment. He cleared waivers and spent the rest of the year at Triple-A Jacksonville, putting up a respectable .253 batting average.
Second Chance with the Angels Before Braves
Then came another shot—this time with the Los Angeles Angels. Leblanc signed a minor-league deal in November 2023, worked his way through Triple-A Salt Lake with a .262 average, and got his second big-league call-up in August. His batting average (.190) didn’t turn heads, but his power numbers did. A .476 slugging percentage and a .869 OPS in limited action showed that he had some pop in his bat.
This spring, he looked solid in Braves camp, going 5-for-16 (.313) with a home run in nine games. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to secure a spot on Atlanta’s Opening Day roster. He’ll now have to prove himself again in the minors, waiting for his next opportunity at the highest level.
A New Chapter Off the Field
And while the news may be disappointing professionally, Leblanc has something far bigger to celebrate. Just last week, he and his wife, Rosie, welcomed their son, Léo, into the world.
A baseball career has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day, moments like that put everything in perspective. For now, Leblanc will keep grinding, hoping his next call to the majors is just around the corner.
