The Braves have brought Dana Brown back into the fold, but this time in a different chair. Brown is joining Atlanta as a senior advisor of amateur scouting after most recently working as the Astros’ general manager, a job he left when the two sides mutually parted ways in August.
It’s a move that fits the way the Braves have been building. Their farm system sits in the middle of the pack in the latest rankings from Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, while the big-league payroll picture already has plenty of money spoken for.
MLBTR’s Payroll Tracker pegs Atlanta’s 2027 projected cash payroll at $215.8MM, the seventh-highest in the league, with several long-term contracts already on the books. Brown and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos now figure to lean even harder into scouting in search of affordable talent for the next wave of Braves contenders.
Elsewhere, the Giants are staring at a roster crunch that still hasn’t been solved. They opened the offseason with a pile of players on the 60-day injured list, and that group won’t all fit once the IL opens back up tomorrow.
San Francisco has already made some room by outrighting four players, including catcher Andrew Knizner, and losing two more on waivers. Even so, FanGraphs’ RosterResource still has them at 50 players on the 40-man roster, which means they need to clear 10 more spots.
That won’t be easy, because the remaining injured players are mostly names the club can’t simply wave away. Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman are roster staples, while Randy Rodríguez is expected to be a key contributor. Teams have until 4:00pm CT tomorrow to get their 40-man rosters down to compliance.
That same deadline also sets the stage for qualifying offers. This year’s QO comes in at $23.15MM, and clubs have until 4:00pm CT tomorrow to decide whether to extend one to eligible free agents. Some calls look straightforward: Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki, and Trevor Rogers are among the players expected to receive and reject the offer.
Others are less clean. Jazz Chisholm Jr. sits closer to the line, while relievers Adrian Morejon and David Bednar present a different kind of decision.
Both are coming off strong seasons, but accepting the QO would make either one the highest paid reliever by average annual value. Players who get the offer then have until November 17th to decide whether to accept it.
In Other News...
Braves Add A Familiar Depth Option As Bench Picture Stays Unsettled
The Braves have added a familiar utility option to the organizational mix, signing infielder Vidal Brujn to a minor league contract and sending him to Triple-A Gwinnett. Brujn brings plenty of big league experience for a depth move, having appeared in 271 major league games since 2021 across six teams, and he gives Atlanta another versatile infield name to keep in the pipeline.
For a bench picture that still looks unsettled, the move makes sense as the Braves keep sorting through their infield depth and possible spring options. Brujn could also get a look in Spring Training as a non-roster player, which would give the club a better read on where he fits while the rest of the roster picture continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Prospect Isaiah Drake Is Giving Fans Another Reason To Watch
Isaiah Drake keeps turning heads in the Arizona Fall League, and his latest showing gave Braves fans another reason to keep an eye on Glendale. In a back-and-forth game against Peoria, Drake was a constant presence at the plate while Tate Southisene and Owen Carey also got into the action for the Desert Dogs, with Tyler LaPorte and Logan Samuels handling work on the mound.
The Desert Dogs came out on top 9-8, and the box score had plenty of Braves-related notes to sort through. LaPorte and Samuels each delivered scoreless innings, giving the club some needed stability in a game that stayed tight throughout, while Drakes day stood out as one of the more encouraging individual performances on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Defense Just Earned A National Stamp Of Approval
Defense has been one of the quieter strengths around the Braves, and now it has a national seal of approval. Matt Olson and Mauricio Dubn were both honored with Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for their work in the 2026 season, giving Atlanta a pair of recognized defenders who made their value felt in different ways across the field.
Olson added another Gold Glove at first base, while Dubn was rewarded for his versatility as a utility player, a reminder that the Braves defensive profile has not rested on one spot or one style. The recognition also puts Atlanta back in a familiar place among the leagues best gloves, with the club now waiting to see whether this kind of all-around excellence can keep stacking up in the seasons ahead. [Read more 🡒]