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Braves Claim Veteran Catcher Off Waivers From Orioles
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- Braves Claim Veteran Catcher Off Waivers From Orioles
The Atlanta Braves were in desperate need of catching help after their top two backstops, Drake Baldwin (right oblique strain) and Sean Murphy (fractured left middle finger), both landed on the injured list this month.
As a result, the Braves claimed catcher Maverick Handley off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
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Atlanta optioned Handley to Triple-A Gwinnett, but made room for him on the 40-man roster by transferring right-hander Hurston Waldrep to the 60-day IL.
The Braves currently have Sandy Leon and Chadwick Tromp as their two catching options on the major league roster. Handley will serve as key depth in the upper levels of the minors for the time being while Baldwin and Murphy recover from their injuries.
Atlanta has not gotten much offensive production out of Leon or Tromp thus far, so they could potentially turn to Handley in the near future for a spark. However, Handley is not known for his bat either. In seven minor league seasons, Handley is hitting .224 with a .682 OPS in 380 games.
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Handley received just one at-bat with the Orioles this season and struck out in the process. He made his major league debut last season, appearing in 16 games. He went a mere 3-for-41 (.073 average) in his first stint in the big-leagues in 2025.
Handley had long been a trusted catching depth piece in the Orioles' organization. The 28-year-old spent his entire professional career with Baltimore after they selected him in the sixth-round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
The Orioles optioned Handley to Triple-A Norfolk on May 18 upon activating infielder Jackson Holliday from the IL to make his season debut. They designated Handley for assignment the next day.
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The Braves and Orioles have had two totally different seasons. Atlanta is 34-16 and has the most wins in baseball as they sit atop the NL East division in first place. Baltimore is in last place in the AL East with a brutal 21-29 record.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
