Braves Add Scott Proctor To Bullpen; Brandon Beachy To DL

Scott Proctor was supposed to be a part of the Atlanta Braves bullpen from the first day of the season, but he was unable to make it out of spring training. Proctor gave up 14 runs (6 earned) on 12 hits and 9 walks in 10.2 innings pitched this spring. Of course he also struck out 12, the stuff was likely there, it just wasn't consistent.

Proctor pitched his way off the Braves opening day roster plans, and didn't generate enough interest from any other Major League team to the point where they would have signed him and added him to their 25-man roster. So Proctor returned to the Braves on a conditional minor league deal. The earliest the Braves could add him to their 25-man roster is May 15th, today. The deal he signed stipulated that the team either add him on the 15th or trade or release him.

Luckily, Proctor has pitched his way back into the good graces of the Braves by posting a 1.06 ERA in 14 games at triple-A Gwinnett. He allowed only 10 hits and 5 walks in 17 innings pitched, while striking out 24. Can he translate that to the Majors? Possibly, seeing as how in spring training when he would enter late in games he was facing a level of player between that triple-A and Major League talent level. He certainly figured out how to pitch effectively against triple-A batters.

The Braves need for Proctor to be the kind of reliever that they hoped he would be -- a 7th/8th inning shutdown setup man. If he can come close to that then he'll go a long way toward redeeming his value in the eyes of the team and the fans, as well as give the Braves the replacement right-handed setup guy they have looked for since the injury to Peter Moylan.

Tot make room for Proctor on the roster, the Braves will place starting pitcher Brandon Beachy on the disabled list. He is expected to miss around a month with an oblique strain. With an extra arm in the bullpen the Braves may opt to let Cristhian Martinez make a spot start rather than make another roster move to add a starter for one game. The Braves could also opt to recall prospects Mike Minor or Julio Teheran, or veteran Rodrigo Lopez. Minor is starting today for Gwinnett, and depending on how long he goes in that game we could get an idea as to what the Braves plans will be.

In other Gwinnett Braves roster news, starting pitcher Jacob Thompson has announced his retirement from baseball. He was a fifth round pick by Atlanta in 2008 out of the University of Virginia. While Thompson had an 8.78 ERA in seven triple-A starts this season, it was his first taste of a level that high, which makes this decision kind of surprising.

Thompson's retirement opens the door for another outstanding Braves starting pitching prospect to move up a level. Randall Delgado is on the same rotation schedule as Thompson, and he's pitched great at double-A (2.38 ERA), so it makes sense that he would move up to triple-A to fill the rotation vacancy.