On February 4, the Atlanta Braves became the latest to announce their list of 2026 Spring Training non-roster players. Aside from notable MLB veterans previously confirmed, the list also includes two of the Braves’ best pitching prospects: JR Ritchie & Owen Murphy.
The prospects
Perhaps the most notable name among the Braves’ non-roster invites is JR Ritchie, the 35th overall pick from the 2022 MLB Draft. Ritchie came into 2025 with fewer than 70 pro innings behind him but raced through High-A and Double-A, ending 2025 with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Between those three levels, Ritchie struck out 140 over 140 and was a groundball machine. He only allowed 12 home runs in the Minors last season.
Ritchie has a chance to be a Major League contributor this season, potentially being the next homegrown pitcher in a pipeline that has seen Spencer Strider, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Spencer Schwellenbach all provide value for the Braves in recent years.
The right-hander fits the modern-day mold of an MLB starter, as he worked with six pitches in the Minors. His arsenal includes a four-seamer and a true sinker, coupled with a changeup, a cutter, a curveball, and a sweeper.
Owen Murphy, taken 20th overall the same year as Ritchie, will also be in camp. Like Ritchie, Murphy has dealt with his own injury troubles. But this past year, Murphy came on strong with High-A Rome yet again, as he posted a Whiff% north of 28% and struck out 29 over 27.1 IP.
Other notables from the Braves’ non-roster list include 19-year-old infielder John Gil, 2025 second-rounder Alex Lodise, infielders Luke Waddell and Jim Jarvis, and pitcher Garrett Baumann.
Gil swiped 50 bases for Low-A Augusta last season, where he slashed .258/.352/.378 over 100 games.
Lodise went to Rome after the 2025 MLB Draft. The Seminole posted a .692 OPS and had swing-and-miss troubles last season as a pro.
Other notables
Catcher Jair Camargo received six at-bats with the Twins in 2024. Camargo was a notable prospect in the Minnesota organization for years. However, after a high-water mark that saw him hit 21 home runs over 90 games in Triple-A three years ago, his numbers dipped the following years with St. Paul (AAA).
Martin Perez has officially signed a Minor League deal with the Braves. Perez, a longtime MLB starter, missed most of last year due to injury. The lefty spent 2025 with the Braves.
Carlos Carrasco, who spent 2025 bouncing between the Yankees and the Braves, will be back with Atlanta as a non-roster invite.
Those players join the players who were previously announced as non-roster invitees earlier in the winter.
Pitchers Javy Guerra, Elieser Hernandez, Austin Pope, Tayler Scott, and James Karinchak will be in big league camp. All of those individuals have previous MLB experience.
As for previously announced position players, former Braves catchers Sandy Leon and Chadwick Tromp, infielders Aaron Schunk & Luke Williams, as well as outfielders Jose Azocar, Tristin English, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., Brewer Hicklen, and Ben Gamel will vie for MLB roster spots.
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