The Braves have signed Harold Ramírez to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Gwinnett, as announced by Gwinnett broadcaster Dave Lezotte on X.
This marks the third team of the season for the right-handed outfielder. Ramírez started the year with the Rays but struggled in the first couple of months, leading to his release in June. He then signed with the Nationals, where he batted .243/.273/.365 during nearly a month of play before being released last week.
Across his time with both teams, Ramírez posted a .261/.280/.324 slash line over 246 plate appearances. His lack of walks and power resulted in a somewhat empty batting average. However, Ramírez was a much more effective hitter during the 2022-23 seasons, when he put up a .306/.348/.432 slash line in nearly 900 plate appearances with Tampa Bay. Known for his aggressive approach at the plate, Ramírez excelled due to his strong contact skills and ability to hit to all fields, particularly thriving against left-handed pitchers, hitting .374/.412/.509 with the platoon advantage.
There’s no risk for Atlanta in sending Harold Ramírez to Gwinnett to see if he can regain his previous form. The Rays are still responsible for his $3.8 million salary, so if the Braves decide to call him up, they would only need to pay the prorated portion of the $740,000 league minimum for the time he spends on the MLB roster. Although Ramírez would technically be eligible for arbitration and under team control through 2025, he would need to have an outstanding finish to the season for Atlanta to consider offering him a contract that would likely exceed $4 million.
Jorge Soler is back in the starting lineup tonight after missing a few games due to a hamstring issue, likely pushing Ramón Laureano back to the bench. Laureano, who struggled earlier in the year and was released by the Guardians, has rebounded with a .284/.318/.520 slash line in 29 games for Atlanta, solidifying his spot on the roster. Unless there’s an injury, Ramírez’s best chance at a spot on the team would be to replace Adam Duvall, who has excelled against left-handed pitchers (.260/.350/.529) but struggled significantly against righties (.146/.184/.224).
Ramírez would be eligible for postseason play if the Braves decide to give him a chance, regardless of whether he’s on the 40-man roster by September 1. Players on non-roster deals who are in the organization by the start of the month can participate in the playoffs if approved by the commissioner’s office as injury substitutes—a common formality that occurs with a few players around the league each year.
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