Atlanta Braves: Former top prospect DFA’d after trade deadline

The Atlanta Braves certainly improved their roster at the MLB trade deadline. However, those improvements came with a price, as a former top prospect was designated for assignment.

Tuesday and Wednesday were quite busy for the Atlanta Braves. They were a flurry of activity before the MLB trade deadline, acquiring catcher John Ryan Murphy, and dramatically upgrading their bullpen. Chris Martin, Mark Melancon, and Shane Greene were all brought in, suddenly giving the Braves a formidable relief corps.

However, in order to fit these players on the 40 man roster, other moves needed to be made. One of those moves came at the expense of former top prospect Luiz Gohara, who was designated for assignment on Wednesday.

It is a surprising end for Gohara’s tenure with the Braves. Part of the deal that had originally sent Mallex Smith to the Mariners, Gohara was expected to be a part of the Braves next wave of pitching talent. He was a consensus top 100 prospect prior to the 2018 season, ready to build on a solid major league debut.

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Instead, 2018 was a lost season for Gohara. While he did return to the majors, he posted a miserable 5.95 ERA, albeit with a solid 1.220 WHiP, in 19.2 innings. He did not fare much better in the minors that year either, with a 4.81 ERA and a 1.328 WHiP over his 58 innings between AA and AAA.

Gohara has also dealt with health issues over the past couple of seasons. Injuries hindered his performance in 2018, and shoulder surgery ended his 2019 campaign before it started. Given those ongoing medical issues, it is understandable that the Braves would make the difficult decision to designate Gohara for assignment.

Even with those injuries, Gohara is the type of pitcher that an organization should take a chance on. He just turned 23 years old on Wednesday, giving him plenty of time to make good on his potential. His live fastball, which reached 100 MPH prior to his injuries, is well worth a look. Chances are, the Braves will find a taker for Gohara.

The Atlanta Braves made quite a few moves to bolster their roster. In doing so, they made the difficult decision to designate Luiz Gohara for assignment.