Former Orioles clubhouse leader lands last-minute free agent deal in surprising spot

The MLB regular season is somehow upon us. Mere hours from now, the Cubs and Dodgers will kick off the official start of the season in this year's Tokyo Series. The Orioles will follow suit on Thursday next week, taking on the Jays for a three game set in Toronto.

While the Orioles' roster feels mostly set, there are still some teams out there making a few minor tweaks before the season officially gets underway. And it just so happens that one of those teams has chosen to sign former Orioles catcher James McCann to a last-minute free agent deal.

It was starting to feel like McCann might go unsigned, which would have been a surprise given his ability to manage a clubhouse and provide veteran leadership. McCann won't be taking the year off, however. He'll instead be heading to Atlanta, as Robert Murray of FanSided reported on Monday night that McCann had come to terms on a deal with the Braves.

Technically, McCann won't be heading to Atlanta, as he signed a minor league contract and will likely report to extended spring training before starting the year with the Triple-A Gwinnett. Depending on how long it takes McCann to get back up to speed, it might not be long before he gets the call to help the major league club.

Former Orioles catcher James McCann lands a last-minute free agent deal with the Braves

Braves' catcher Sean Murphy is currently dealing with a cracked rib and is set to miss time to begin the year. Atlanta is seemingly planning to use a combination of Chadwick Tromp and Drake Baldwin behind the plate. Neither of those two are particularly inspiring back there, so in the event that Atlanta needs a boost, McCann will likely be the first guy called upon.

McCann admittedly wasn't great at the plate in 2024. He limped to a .234/.279/.388 slash line with just 8 homers in 66 games. He is still a decent defender though, and is expected to be a positive addition behind the plate, at least barring a complete offensive collapse.

Entering his age 35 season, McCann probably doesn't have too much left in the tank. However, he was a notable clubhouse leader in Baltimore and his teammates always spoke highly of him. It's almost certain that the players in Atlanta will feel the same if and when McCann arrives with the big league club. If McCann can step in and give the Braves a few strong months of backup catcher services, it'll go a long way to helping them capture an NL East title and hold off the Phillies and Mets.