This afternoon, the Atlanta Braves announced that four veteran MLB players have been reassigned to their minor league camp.
Right-handed pitcher Buck Farmer and left-hander Jake Diekman were both considered on the bubble for making the team’s Opening Day bullpen. Additionally, catcher Curt Casali and outfielder Jake Marisnick were also sent down from major league camp.
The reassignment of Buck Farmer and Jake Diekman comes as a relative surprise. Both pitchers were late offseason additions, signing minor league deals with the Braves.
Catcher Curt Casali, 36, has primarily served as a backup across his 11-year career, including last season with the San Francisco Giants. He was likely fifth on the Braves’ organizational depth chart.
Outfielder Jake Marisnick, who turns 34 soon, also has 11 years of MLB experience, though he didn’t appear at the big-league level last season. He previously spent time in Triple-A with the Braves in 2022, appearing in 17 games.
Farmer appeared to have an inside track for the long-relief role in the bullpen but may have been pushed off the roster following the team’s acquisition of Héctor Neris several weeks ago.
Diekman was in competition with fellow veteran Chasen Shreve for the third left-handed spot in the bullpen. However, with Shreve previously optioned to minor league camp, Angel Perdomo now appears to be the favorite for that role.
If they remain with the organization after Spring Training, all four players will likely begin the season with Triple-A Gwinnett.
