The Atlanta Braves have agreed to a minor league contract with infielder Kyle Farmer, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. The 35-year-old will attend spring training as a non-roster player, competing for a spot on the bench.
Braves Bolster Infield Depth with Veteran Kyle Farmer
Atlanta adds a versatile gloveman as insurance following a key injury.
- Farmer provides needed depth after shortstop Ha-Seong Kim suffered a hand injury.
- The Braves are looking for bench options after re-signing Kim to a one-year, $20 million contract.
- Despite recent struggles, Farmer offers a career .279 batting average against left-handed pitching.
- He’ll compete with Jorge Mateo for a roster spot this spring.
Farmer was a key player for the Reds as their starting shortstop in 2021 and 2022, and he enjoyed a solid 2023 season with the Twins. Over those three seasons, he posted a .258/.316/.402 slash line (94 wRC+) while demonstrating reliable defense at shortstop, third base, and second base—particularly at the latter two positions during his time in Minnesota. He has historically excelled against left-handed pitchers, boasting a career .279/.341/.464 batting line (117 wRC+) in 792 plate appearances against them.
The last two seasons haven’t been as productive for Farmer. He hit .214/.293/.353 in his second season with Minnesota in 2024, leading the Twins to decline a contract option and make him a free agent. He then signed a major league deal with the Rockies, but struggled to a .227/.280/.365 slash line despite playing in the hitter-friendly environment of Coors Field.
Even with those down seasons, Farmer represents a sensible addition for the Braves, who initially believed their shortstop position was settled with the re-signing of Ha-Seong Kim to a one-year, $20 million contract. However, Kim sustained a freak injury last month, slipping on ice and suffering a torn tendon in his hand. The injury required surgery and is expected to sideline him for the first couple of months of the season. Atlanta quickly responded by signing Jorge Mateo to a one-year deal, and Farmer now joins the infield group as a non-roster invitee.
Mauricio Dubon is currently slated to start at shortstop in Kim’s absence, though his versatility allows him to play all over the infield and even spell free agent signee Mike Yastrzemski in the outfield against left-handed pitchers. When Yastrzemski is rested or pinch-hit for, Farmer could potentially step in at shortstop, allowing Dubon to move to the outfield.
Ultimately, Farmer will need to perform well during spring training to earn a spot on the Braves’ roster. The presence of Mateo already provides Atlanta with at least one alternative at shortstop, and both players are righty-swinging veterans who cannot be optioned to the minor leagues, potentially creating a redundancy when the Braves make their final roster decisions. For now, Farmer offers valuable depth and appears to have a legitimate opportunity to make the club.
