The Atlanta Braves have added right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton to a non-guaranteed deal. The team announced the transaction earlier this evening. Hamilton has spent the past few seasons working out of the New York Yankees bullpen.
Hamilton was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2016 and made his MLB debut in 2018. After bouncing around multiple organizations, Hamilton found steady work in the Yankees bullpen in 2023, where he played in 39 games and recorded two saves.
Hamilton, 30, has seen a decline in effectiveness since his standout 2023 season, but maintained a consistent workload by appearing in 35 games in 2024 and 36 games last season while splitting time between the Yankees and the minors.
During his time with the Yankees, he appeared in 110 games with a 122 ERA+ and 1.284 WIP, over 135.2 innings. He had a strikeout rate of over 25 percent during his three seasons with New York, but saw his walk rate increase to 13.8 percent in 2025. Last year he had a 4.28 ERA against a 4.09 xERA and a 4.39 FIP with a nearly identical 4.38 xFIP, while seeing his fastball velocity drop a mile per hour to 95.4 MPH.
Hamilton, who was once traded for former Braves catcher Sandy Leon, gives the Braves a depth option for the team’s bullpen but could be slated for Triple-A.
#Braves #add #Ian #Hamilton #nonguaranteed #deal