Atlanta Braves Sign Former A's Minor Leaguer
Earlier this week, the Atlanta Braves signed right-handed pitcher Jorge Juan to a minor-league deal and assigned him to the Double-A Mississippi Braves. Juan was originally signed by the Oakland A's in 2017 and had been with the club up until he elected free agency following the 2023 season. He is still just 24 years old.
Juan reached the A's top 30 prospect rankings one time in his time with the club, ranking #24 in the system back in 2022 according to MLB Pipeline.
Even though he debuted as a player in pro ball back in 2018, he still only has 173 1/3 innings under his belt in the minor leagues. In that time he has a cumulative 4.57 ERA, has walked 121 and struck out 217.
Last season with Double-A Midland, Juan put up a 5.66 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP in 35 innings. His strikeout rate was solid at 9.51, but his walk rate nearly kept pace at 8.74. 2023 was also the first season that Juan solely appeared out of the bullpen, though he had come in from the 'pen in every year he's been a pro while also starting games throughout the year.
According to his MiLB page, this season was the first time he'd entered a game with runners on base. He allowed 12 of the 17 runners he inherited to score. You have to think with a little more experience (and maybe a little luck) headed into 2024, those numbers will go down a bit.
Obviously, the big issue for Juan is going to be his command. Typically the A's take fliers on guys with command issues and hope for the best, but the Braves are one of the better clubs at developing arms. It'll be interesting to see if he can turn things around with a change of scenery.
The 6-foot-8 righty can touch 99, but usually sits in the upper 90's with his fastball and also has a wipeout slider in his arsenal. If he can land those pitches consistently, he could be end up being a nice depth depth for Atlanta.