The Atlanta Braves have officially signed outfielder Bryan De La Cruz to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract for the 2025 MLB season. This signing, announced by the team on December 15, 2024, is seen as the Braves look to navigate the challenges of the upcoming season, particularly as they address positional gaps caused by injuries.
De La Cruz, who turns 28 on Monday, is anticipated to fulfill significant roles as the Braves prepare for the regular season. With Ronald Acuña Jr. recovering from left knee surgery, which has sidelined him at least through April, the Braves are actively seeking reliable outfield options.
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has been open about the need for additional outfield depth. Given Acuña's situation, alongside Spencer Strider rehabbing from elbow surgery, the Braves are faced with the pressing requirement to reinforce their roster. Adding De La Cruz gives them flexibility, particularly as they plan for the first few months of the season.
Over the past four seasons, De La Cruz has amassed experience playing all three outfield positions during his time with the Miami Marlins and later, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Debuting with the Marlins back in 2021, De La Cruz enjoyed relative success in his earlier years, hitting five homers as a rookie. He progressed, hitting 13 homers in 2022, 19 in 2023, and 21 most recently.
Despite these numbers, last season proved to be tough for De La Cruz, especially following his trade to the Pirates. Following the trade from the Marlins, where he had compiled 18 home runs and 51 RBIs over 105 games, De La Cruz struggled to produce with Pittsburgh, batting just .200 with three homers and 17 RBIs over 44 games. This steep drop-off was significant enough for the Pirates to non-tender him at the end of the season, leading to his availability for the Braves.
A notable aspect of De La Cruz's game is his power hitting. He has the potential to contribute offensively, reflected by his 19 home runs during the 2023 campaign and his ability to occasionally hit for higher averages, with career statistics showing he has logged 58 home runs and recorded 208 RBIs over 475 games played. That said, his overall batting average has fluctuated significantly, posting only .233 last season compared to .257 the year prior.
His defensive metrics reveal challenges, particularly concerning his range, yet De La Cruz boasts near-elite arm strength, according to Baseball Savant. The Braves are hopeful he can re-discover the hitting prowess he showcased earlier, which displayed hard-hit rates and sweet-spot hitting potential deemed near elite during the 2022 season.
Speaking to the player's upcoming role, it has been indicated he could serve as either platoon support for Jarred Kelenic or he might step up as the primary option until Acuña is ready to make his return. Notably, De La Cruz performed impressively against left-handed pitchers, with figures showing he hit .285 with a .733 OPS against lefties last year. This makes him a suitable candidate to complement Kelenic, who has also wrestled with consistency but showed flashes of brilliance.
Anthopoulos and the Braves' management are candid about the outfield mix. The lack of guarantees within De La Cruz's contract provides Atlanta the advantage of testing his suitability during Spring Training without significant financial outlay. If he performs well and demonstrates the capacity to translate his power potential produced throughout the years, he may secure himself as part of the Braves' long-term future.
The Braves are well aware they cannot solely rely on De La Cruz and have made clear their search for additional outfield talent will continue as the offseason progresses. Having traded Jorge Soler and with the uncertainty surrounding both Acuña’s recovery timeline and Kelenic’s production, every roster decision is weighed heavily. De La Cruz’s signing contributes to addressing immediate concerns yet leaves the door open for potential strategic moves to come.
For De La Cruz, this opportunity with the Braves marks another chapter in his burgeoning career. The Braves will evaluate his performance closely, with the aim of potentially keeping him through the remaining seasons of his career, taking advantage of the fact he has two Minor League option years remaining. This could undoubtedly afford them more time to assess where he can fit within their plans.
Overall, as the Braves gear up for the 2025 season, securing De La Cruz is seen as a tactical move, one of many to address uncertainties within the squad. Players such as De La Cruz will need to prove themselves during training camps, especially as the Braves continue to build their roster around returning stars and upcoming talents alike.
