The Atlanta Braves have signed switch-hitting utility player Vidal Bruján to a minor league contract and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers.
The move, confirmed by the MiLB transaction log, reunites the club with a familiar face who spent part of the 2025 season in Atlanta and gives the organization experienced, low-risk depth across the infield and outfield.
Bruján, 28, originally signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent out of San Pedro de Macorís in the Dominican Republic.
He made his MLB debut in 2021 and has since bounced around the league, appearing for the Rays, Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Braves, and New York Mets. A
cross roughly 270 major-league games, he has hit .197 with five home runs and 49 RBI, relying more on speed and defensive versatility than power or contact consistency.
In 2025, Bruján arrived in Atlanta via waivers and appeared in about 23–24 games, batting .268 with a .362 on-base percentage, .317 slugging percentage, and five RBI.
He provided useful positional flexibility at second base, shortstop, third base, and the outfield corners while showing flashes of the athleticism that once made him a well-regarded prospect.
The Braves later signed him to a split contract for 2026, but he was designated for assignment early in the offseason and eventually landed with the Mets.
His 2026 big-league stint was brief—only nine games and a 1-for-11 performance—before he was optioned and later elected free agency.
At Triple-A Syracuse, however, he produced a solid .278/.385/.421 line with five home runs, 34 RBI, and 16 stolen bases in 258 plate appearances, underscoring that his tools remain intact in the upper minors.
For the Braves, the signing is a classic depth play.
Bruján offers a proven major-league body who can cover multiple positions, run the bases, and serve as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement.
With the club already familiar with his skill set, he profiles as a non-roster invitee who can compete for a bench role in spring training or provide insurance at Gwinnett if injuries arise.
At a minimal cost and without occupying a 40-man roster spot, the move carries little downside while keeping an athletic, experienced option in the organization.
