Let’s look at three Atlanta Braves minor league acquisitions from this winter who you should be keeping an eye out for over the next several weeks, along with their reasons, as Spring Training draws near.
We start with Widener, a right-hand pitcher who signed a minor league contract with the Braves on December 11.
The 29-year-old right-hander Widener joins the Atlanta team after competing in the KBO in Korea during the 2023 season, dividing time between the NC Dinos and Samsung Lions. Widener did, however, have a lengthy history with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, having played for them for three major league seasons between 2020 and 2022 prior to 2023.
Widener, a former 12th round selection in the 2016 MLB Draft, has had 49 major league appearances with a total 4.26 ERA, 13 of which were starts in 2021. Across that 107.2 IP, the right-hander also boasts a combined 2-3 record with a 109:54 K:BB ratio, and most recently recorded a 3.63 ERA and 14:5 K:BB ratio across 17.1 IP with the Diamondbacks in 2022.
With the ability to be a starter or reliever, Widener brings significant MLB experience to the Braves organization. Even though Widener will probably start the season in Triple-A, the Braves might use the right-hander in a few different ways throughout Spring Training, making him an interesting name to keep an eye on.
