Opening Day roster almost ready

Speedy Forrest Wall makes 26-man roster as opener draws near.

It looks like the Braves have decided on their Opening Day roster, with the 26th and final spot going to outfielder and base-stealing threat Forrest Wall.

The club announced that it had reassigned six position players to minor-league camp Monday after its spring-training game against the Rays to reduce the roster to 28 players. Among them were infielders David Fletcher and Luke Williams, seen as the principal competitors with Wall for the last spot. The other four were catchers Drake Baldwin and Chadwick Tromp, infielder Andrew Velasquez and outfielder Eli White.

Two more players on the 28-man roster will be moved to the injured list soon to get to 26 — pitchers Penn Murfee and Angel Perdomo, who are both recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Wall has hit .303 this spring and offers the club a speed element, having stolen 104 bases in 124 attempts at Triple-A in the past two seasons. Wall reached the major leagues last July after getting drafted in 2014 and playing more than 800 minor-league games before getting called up by the Braves. Given that he is unlikely to get much playing time as a fifth outfielder, it won’t be a surprise if he is used primarily as a late-inning base-stealing specialist.

“I just want to be a piece that the team can plug me in and know that they can trust me to fill the role,” Wall told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I think, for me, it’s just, I hope I get the opportunity, and that’s it. If I can get the opportunity, it gives me a chance to go show what I can do.”

While the roster is a fluid list, 11 of the projected 26 were not on the Opening Day roster a year ago. The eight-pitcher bullpen in particular has been vastly reshaped.

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL/AP Forrest Wall singles during a game against the Yankees. Wall has hit .303 this spring and offers the club speed, having stolen 104 bases in 124 attempts at Triple-A in the past two seasons.