The Braves’ bullpen is going to have some youth on Opening Day.
Atlanta is adding 20-year-old right-hander Didier Fuentes to its regular season roster, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Saturday.
The idea will be to have Fuentes join the team’s bullpen, per the report.
Fuentes has had a phenomenal spring training for the Braves, throwing nine hitless innings over three appearances.
He has struck out 17 hitters and not issued a single walk.
The No. 3 Braves prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, got a cup of coffee with the injury-riddled big league club last season, struggling with a 13.50 ERA in four starts.
New Braves skipper Walt Weiss said he sees some similarities between Fuentes and starter Spencer Strider.
“There’s some parallels there,” Weiss said this week, according to MLB.com. “For sure. The way that Strider broke in [the Majors].”
Fuentes, who averaged 96 mph on his fastball in his MLB cameo in 2025, has just 10 starts above High-A ball in the minor leagues, five apiece in Double-A and Triple-A.
His fastball is considered far-and-away his best pitch, with his slider checking in as his best secondary offering.
Atlanta, days before Opening Day, has experienced plenty of turmoil already in 2026.
Righties Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep were placed on the 60-day injured list after both underwent procedures on their pitching elbows.
Lefty Joey Wentz is likely out for the year after tearing his ACL while covering first base during Grapefruit League action.
The issues extended to the lineup, as Ha-Seong Kim, signed and expected to be the Opening Day shortstop, slipped on ice in January in his native South Korea and had surgery on his right middle finger.
His timetable to return is not yet clear.
On top of the injuries, outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended by MLB for 162 games for his second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs in as many seasons.
