The Braves have re-signed left-handers Ray Kerr and Royber Salinas to minor league deals, as well as added left-hander Kolton Ingram to the organization on a minor league contract, according to MLB.com transaction trackers.
Kerr and Salinas were both non-tendered by the Braves before last week’s deadline but will return to the organization as non-roster depth. Kerr began his big league career with the Padres, posting solid numbers in 2023, including a 4.33 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 27 innings with a strong 30.3% strikeout rate. After a trade to the Braves last winter, Kerr struggled to a 5.64 ERA in 10 early-season appearances before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. Now back with Atlanta, he will rehab with the organization and hopes to make a second-half return in 2025.
Salinas, who was claimed off waivers from the A’s earlier this month, has a history with the Braves, having originally signed with them as an international amateur. After being traded to Oakland as part of the Sean Murphy deal, Salinas struggled in the upper minors, posting a 5.48 ERA at Double-A in 2023 before showing improvement this year with a 3.68 ERA, though he struggled at Triple-A. Salinas is expected to provide non-roster depth for the Braves’ bullpen in 2025, especially as the team could be without A.J. Minter and Joe Jiménez due to free agency and injury, respectively.
Ingram, who spent the 2024 season bouncing between four different organizations at the Triple-A level, posted a solid 3.66 ERA in 51 2/3 innings. The southpaw made his big league debut in 2023 with the Angels but struggled with an 8.44 ERA in his brief stint. A year removed from that performance, Ingram will aim to break back into the majors with Atlanta next season.
