Veteran Outfielder Headed to Braves on Minor league Contract

The Atlanta Braves have another veteran option in the system; it can be presumed that he'll see action during Spring Training

The Braves land another outfield depth piece with some solid MLB experience | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves continue to tack on to depth as we approach the end of the calendar year. According to JustBaseball's Aram Leighton, the team has signed veteran outfielder Ben Gamel to a minor-league deal.

It is unknown at this time if he has been invited to Spring Training. However, there it can be presumed he will and that he'll be assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Gamel missed a lot of time last season due to injury, but he brings nearly a decade of MLB experience to the table. Along with his experience in the outfield, he also has experience as a DH and a first baseman.

The Braves and outfielder Ben Gamel have agreed to a minor league deal, sources tell @JustBB_Media

Gamel, 33, owns a .716 OPS over parts of 9 MLB seasons. Battled injuries last year, only playing 49 games for Angels and Tigers AAA affiliates, but OPS'd .914 with 8 HR.

— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) December 5, 2025

The most recent season in which Gamel was an everyday contributor was during the 2022 season with his last Major League action coming in 2024. He's played parts of seasons recently with the Mets, Astros and Padres. During the 2025 season, he was in the Angels and Tigers systems.

Should the Braves need an extra outfielder during the season, assuming he sticks around the system, having a veteran option as a stopgap is ideal. He'll join Brewer Hicklen as the recent outfielders bound for the Braves. A key difference is Hicklen has 10 total games in the Majors. Gamel has been a starter in the past.

The Braves have added a few more options on minor league deals over the past few days. They added lefty Danny Young on Tuesday and right-hander Austin Pope on Thursday. Most of these players will see most of their action in an Atlanta uniform during Spring Training.

So far, the Braves have only made a couple of key moves. They re-signed Raisel Iglesias on a one-year deal, and they acquired Mauricio Dubon in a trade for Nick Allen. For what it's worth, Iglesias' deal was one of the biggest by amount per season spent on a reliever so far.

The upcoming Winter Meetings could be a time where more action happens. That is typically a type for splash moves, either via trade or free-agent signing. The Braves could also add via the Rule 5 Draft. They took two last year, but neither made it past Spring Training.

Top needs for the Braves right now include starting pitching either a full-time shortstop or another bat in some capacity. There has been plenty of speculation, but there haven't been any solid rumors so far regarding these positions.