Report: Braves considering Kelly Johnson for bench role
Kelly Johnson was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 MLB draft, and after 11 years in the big leagues, he may be returning for a fourth stint with the club.
The Braves are considering the acquisition of Johnson, who is a free agent, for a bench role, according to David O'Brien of AJC.com, who also says another veteran - and former Braves first-round draft choice - Jeff Francoeur could be a possibility.
After finishing the second half of last season with a winning record, and with them moving into a new ballpark to begin 2017, the Braves have been aggressive in acquiring veteran players during the offseason.
Adding Johnson to their club would give them a versatile veteran off the bench, who has played eight different positions - including designated hitter - during his career.
Braves projected bench - 2016 stats
| PLAYER | POS | HR | RBI | OPS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Recker | C | 2 | 15 | .828 | 0.8 |
| Chase d'Arnaud | IF/OF | 1 | 21 | .652 | 0.3 |
| Sean Rodriguez | IF/OF | 18 | 56 | .859 | 1.9 |
| Mallex Smith | OF | 3 | 22 | .681 | 0.5 |
General manager John Coppolella and the Braves' front office have already signed R.A. Dickey, Bartolo Colon, and Sean Rodriguez in free agency, and acquired southpaw Jaime Garcia in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. They also inked outfielder Ender Inciarte to a long-term contract extension.
Johnson played with the Braves from 2005-09, and in both 2015 and '16. Over the course of his career, the 34-year-old has appeared in a big-league contest for eight different clubs, hitting .251/.330/.422 with 155 home runs and 550 RBIs.