Braves Sign Kyle Farmer to Minor-League Deal, Non-Roster Spring Invite

Atlanta added veteran depth to its infield mix by agreeing to a minor-league contract with 35-year-old Kyle Farmer that includes a non-roster invitation to Major League Spring Training. The move comes as the club copes with uncertainty around Ha‑Seong Kim, who suffered a hand injury after slipping on ice, required surgery and could miss the first couple months of the season.

Farmer arrives with nine years of big-league experience for clubs that include the Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers. His career slash line sits at .247/.306/.388 with a career 86 wRC+ and 5.0 fWAR, with a noted platoon split against left-handers: .279/.341/.464 in 792 plate appearances (117 wRC+). Last season with Colorado he played 97 games and posted a .227/.280/.365 line in 300 plate appearances, with eight homers, 31 RBI, 24 runs and a 71 OPS+, and he finished with a negative bWAR and a -5 Outs Above Average that placed him in the 11th defensive percentile.

The immediate roster calculus is pragmatic. Atlanta has already added Jorge Mateo on a one-year deal and plans to slide Luis Dubón off shortstop to left field on nights when Mike Yastrzemski is pinch-hit for against lefties. Mark Bowman noted on X that “The Braves added Marist and (University of Georgia) product Kyle Farmer to their list of (non‑roster invites),” and added that Farmer “Seems to be a good fit for an Opening Day roster spot.” Yardbarker summarized the signing with the line: “The BHSC client will be in camp as a non‑roster player this spring, where he’ll compete for a bench job.”

From a baseball and business standpoint, Farmer is a low-cost, low-risk pickup with clear upside as a right-handed, multi-position infielder who historically handles left-handed pitching well. His recent results, however, are down from the 2021–23 stretch when he averaged roughly .258/.316/.402 and produced above-replacement value while playing substantial infield minutes. Beat writers have noted that both Mateo and Farmer are righty-swinging veterans who cannot be optioned, creating potential redundancy that the front office will have to manage when assembling the 26-man roster.

Culturally, Farmer’s addition fits Atlanta’s tendency to tap local or regional connections; Bowman’s Marist/University of Georgia reference underscores the local ties that often resonate with the fan base. For Triple-A and fantasy watchers, Rotoballer projects Farmer as a candidate to open 2026 at Triple-A Gwinnett if he doesn’t win a bench job in camp.

What comes next is straightforward: Farmer’s spring performance will determine whether he breaks camp in Atlanta or begins the season in Gwinnett, while the club monitors Kim’s recovery timetable and how Mateo, Dubón and Farmer can be shuffled to preserve infield continuity. Fans should watch Spring Training reps and early roster moves closely — the signing is a small transaction on paper but one that could have outsized roster and matchup implications during Kim’s absence.