The Cleveland Guardians had to make some roster moves in order to protect their most prized prospects ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.
To protect Nic Enright, Doug Nikhazy, Petey Halpin and Franco Aleman, the team had to designate Peter Strzelecki, George Valera and Connor Gillispie for assignment.
Strzelecki was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Valera was brought back on a minor league deal and now we know Gillispie’s fate, too.
“The #Braves today signed RHP Connor Gillispie to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract for the 2025 season,” the Braves posted on X.
The #Braves today signed RHP Connor Gillispie to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract for the 2025 season.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) November 30, 2024
The 27-year-old Gillispie is more likely to get a real opportunity to have a role in the bigs with Atlanta than in Cleveland.
He made his MLB debut this year with the Guardians, after landing in Cleveland in 2023 via the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.
Gillispie pitched eight innings in the majors this year and conceded just a couple of runs.
The Braves probably like Gillispie’s versatility: his arm can be deployed in a variety of roles and he showed that this year.
In Triple-A, the righty threw 113.1 frames and accumulated a 4.05 ERA.
He started 15 games and entered as a reliever 12 times.
He can miss bats, striking out 25% of his opponents, but as his 22 homers suggest, he has a long ball problem.
The Braves are a solid organization and maybe the better prospects for MLB innings and the change of scenery can give him a shot at carving out a nice role for himself.
The numbers game prevented that from happening in Cleveland, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t talent in his arm.
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