3 Braves Players Who Won't Make the Team Out of Spring Training But Probably Should

With Opening Day rapidly approaching, the Atlanta Braves will need to make some difficult decisions in regards to trimming the fat for the final 26-man roster.

That burden will likely fall on the likes of skipper Brian Snitker and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopolous. The Braves will leave Spring Training on March 24, and by then Snitker and Anthopolous will have a good idea of who will be on their roster.

With that in mind, let's play general manager and highlight three players that won't make the Opening Day squad, but have made a strong case for themselves in the spring.

3. Philip Pfeifer

Atlanta Braves left-hander Philip Pfeifer pitching against the Washington Nationals / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Atlanta has one of the deepest bullpens in the MLB, so somebody is going to have to bite the dust. Enter Pfeifer, who undoubtedly deserves to make the team, but would be the third left-hander in the Braves' bullpen. Despite throwing 5.2 scoreless innings this spring, it remains to be seen if Snitker wants another southpaw occupying a roster spot. Expect Pfeifer to begin 2020 in the minors, though it'll be hard to keep him there if he stays hot.

2. Kyle Wright

Atlanta Braves right-hander Kyle Wright pitching against the Minnesota Twins / Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images

With Cole Hamels shelved, there is still a battle for the final two spots in the starting rotation behind Mike Soroka, Max Fried, and Mike Foltynewicz. That will be between Felix Hernandez, Sean Newcomb, and Kyle Wright. Unfortunately for the former, the two veterans have impressed during the spring. That will see Wright, Atlanta's No. 4 prospect, forced to make a handful of starts at Triple-A before getting called up.

1. Austin Riley

Braves third baseman Austin Riley at Spring Training / Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The Braves have a surplus of depth on their bench, and four of those five spots are expected to be filled by the likes of Nick Markakis, Adeiny Hechavarría, Tyler Flowers, and Adam Duvall. That could seal the fate of promising third baseman Austin Riley, who will be forced to compete with more experienced options like Charlie Culberson and Yangervis Solarte in order to return to the bigs. While Riley has impressed this spring, the starting role is still Johan Camargo's to lose, which could result in the 22-year-old starting the year at Triple-A Gwinnett.