Braves Sign Veteran Outfielder to Minor League Contract

The Atlanta Braves split their first two games of the season against the Cincinnati Reds and have decided to bring in some more outfield depth. Seven-year pro Delino DeShields has been signed to a minor league contract following his release by the Miami Marlins prior to Opening Day.

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DeShields failed to make the Marlins' active roster to start the season and was understandably cut loose. It didn't take long for the speedy ballplayer to find a new home, though. Of course, the Braves could use as much help as possible waiting for All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. to return from a knee injury.

The 29-year-old appeared in 25 games for the Cincinnati Reds last season, racking up 1 home run, 6 RBI, 4 runs scored and 2 stolen bases across 58 plate appearances. Overall, DeShields owns a career slash line of .246/.327/.342 and has stolen 111 bases. He has only been caught stealing 32 times.

DeShields will likely see a lot of playing time with Atlanta's Triple-A squad, the Gwinnett Stripers. It wouldn't be surprising to see him work his way back up to the majors as either a late inning defensive replacement or pinch runner. It's a plan manager Brian Snitker has been successful using in the past.

For now, the Braves will look to build a lead in the National League East division to start the 2022 season. Atlanta is also tied for the fourth-best odds to win the 2022 World Series set at +1200, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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