The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Braves send Giles to minors camp, others reassigned
NORTH PORT, FLA. — The Braves further trimmed their roster by three players Friday.
They optioned lefty Ray Kerr and outfielder J.P. Martinez to Triple-A Gwinnett. They also reassigned righty Ken Giles to minor league camp.
Kerr has a 5.79 ERA in five games this spring, at times showing erratic command. Manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Kerr, saying he hopes he builds to a point he’s capable of covering multiple innings. Martinez is 2-for-15 (.133) with a double in eight games. Both players were acquired this winter as upperlevel organizational depth.
Giles, an accomplished, eightyear veteran, generally has impressed in a small sample size. He notched two perfect appearances before a leadoff walk bit him Thursday, leading to a run scoring on a softly hit single.
“We didn’t know coming in what we would see,” Snitker said. “We’ve been very impressed with him. And to do right by him, and get him stretched out and built up, it was just getting to a point where there wasn’t consistent enough work. So just get him over there and get himself going again. He’s very receptive to the whole thing. It’s more about where he’s at right now.”
Giles, who is 33, still could be a factor in the Braves’ bullpen as he builds himself up. He’s made only five MLB appearances — all last season for the Seattle Mariners — since the truncated 2020 campaign, in which he pitched in only four games.
“It’s awesome (to have a guy with Giles’ track record),” Snitker said. “We signed him, he hadn’t had a spring training in a while, so we’ve been very pleased and like what we see. We want to keep that going for his sake.”
The Braves have 42 players in camp. They open the regular season March 28 in Philadelphia.
Waldrep reassigned
The Braves reassigned righthander Hurston Waldrep to minor league camp Friday, as expected, but the recent first-round pick made a strong impression.
Waldrep, the No. 24 overall selection in last summer’s draft out of Florida, produced two scoreless innings during his first experience at a major-league camp. He allowed two hits while striking out five and walking four in 4-1/3 innings.
“I’ve been really impressed with the maturity and how he’s gone about it,” manager Brian Snitker said Friday after Waldrep pitched 2-1/3 innings against the Pirates. “I love the stuff, the young man. I’ve been very impressed with him in his first big-league camp. I’ve thought he’s handled himself really, really well.”