Atlanta welcomes Stephens back as another depth signing to complete their 40 man roster.
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Thought the Christmas holiday may be here and gone, it still may be a bit of time before any more significant baseball moves or news occur. However, the Braves have remained among the most active teams in baseball since the Winter Meetings, as they reunited with reliever Jackson Stephens on Monday to fill there 40-man roster once again.
The moves for Hoy Park, Jordan Luplow, Lewin Diaz, and now Stephens could all be viewed as depth signings simply to fill out the 40-man roster, which had a few openings after the Sean Murphy Trade. While the Braves moved quickly to fill out their 40-man roster, it seems logical that they will remain busy to find ways to continue addressing needs as the offseason progresses.
The Atlanta Braves have re-signed pitcher Jackson Stephens to a minor league contract this week. According to the team’s transactions page, the deal was made official on May 20th.
Stephens was outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett on May 18th, but he elected to become a free agent.
It appears he has had a change of heart however, as he will return on a minor league deal and be reassigned to Triple-A after all.
Stephens has pitched on and off with the Braves major league club since signing as a free agent in January of 2022.
Before being optioned, Jackson Stephens appeared in three games for the Atlanta Braves. He allowed five hits, one earned run and one walk in 3.1 innings of work. He also recorded two strikeouts in the same span.
He also has spent some time in the minors already in 2024 pitching in 9.1 innings. During that time he recorded a 1-2 record, a 3.86 ERA and 13 strikeouts.
Making his debut in 2017 with the Cincinnati Reds, Stephens has a career 4.15 ERA. He was drafted by the Reds in the 2012 MLB Draft, selected in the 18th round.
There is no timetable on when or if Stephens will return to the major league club, but having a relief pitcher who has pitched in 69 innings over the past three years for the Atlanta Braves waiting in the wings is great for depth.
With 100-plus games to go until the MLB postseason, there are bound to be injuries and moves needed to fill those spots. The best thing the 30-year-old right-hander can do is continue to work and be prepared for his next call.
