Braves Release Veteran Catcher James McCann to Pursue MLB Deal with Diamondbacks ⚾
The Atlanta Braves have released veteran catcher James McCann to allow him to sign a Major League deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal. The move comes as Arizona’s starting catcher Gabriel Moreno heads to the injured list with a right-hand contusion.
McCann, who turned 35 earlier this month, had a rolling opt-out clause in his minor league deal with Atlanta. That clause required the Braves to either promote him or release him if another team offered him a major-league contract — the same condition that was included in Craig Kimbrel’s previous deal.
McCann joined Atlanta midway through spring training to bolster the team’s catching depth. With Travis d’Arnaud signing with the Angels and uncertainty around Drake Baldwin’s readiness, McCann became a valuable insurance policy. However, he didn’t appear in any spring training games and spent most of his time in Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .305 with an .851 OPS, six homers, and 32 RBIs over 42 games.
McCann last appeared in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles, backing up Adley Rutschman across two seasons and compiling a .228 average in 136 games. He earned All-Star honors in 2019 with the Chicago White Sox and spent the first five seasons of his MLB career with the Detroit Tigers.
Now, with Arizona needing immediate help behind the plate, McCann gets another shot at the majors — this time in the desert.