The Braves chose the outfielder’s contract Brewer Hicklenaccording to his trade tracker on MLB.com. The 40-man roster had a vacancy after the catch Austin Wynns it was released yesterday. Hicklen was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett and will not be immediately added to the active roster.
It may seem odd to add a player to the 40-man roster but keep him in the minors. In these cases, the player usually has some form of opt-out from his contract. Giving a player a roster spot prevents him from dropping out. Keeping him in the minors means he is not currently on the big league roster to be released.
Hicklen, 30, signed a minor league deal with Atlanta earlier in the season. He’s been in Triple-A this year and he’s doing very well. He has a .316/.381/.519 line and a 137 wRC+, which is 37% better than league average. He got little help hitting a .367 average on balls in play but put the ball over the fence 11 times. His 9.1% walk rate and 21.6% strikeout rate are both respectable numbers. He has also stolen 21 bases, a pace that is in line with his previous seasons on the farm.
He has had minor league success in the past, which has led to him being shortstop in the big leagues. Hicklen suited up for the Royals in 2022 but only made four plate appearances. Living up to his name, he was a Brewer in 2024, but was sent to the plate just five times. He also played in four games with the Tigers last year. He has a .167/.231/.167 line in that small sample of 13 innings in the batter’s box.
Atlanta was clearly happy with Hicklen’s performance and didn’t want to lose him as a depth piece. They made a similar move earlier this month with DaShawn Keirsey Jr.choosing him from the list but keeping him from children. The group right now Ronald Acuña Jr. on the injured list and out Jurickson Profar year due to PED suspension. Their current outfield alignment includes Michael Harris II, Mike Yastrzemski, Mauricio Dubón again Eli White.
Should another injury crop up on that team, Keirsey and Hicklen could be at the top of the list to get a call-up. Hicklen has one option left. If he spends 20 days on the option, 2026 will officially be his last season, meaning he will run out of options going forward.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
