ATLANTA (AP) — The focus of the Atlanta Braves' rebuilding process has been pitching as the team stockpiled prospects through the draft and trades.Those young pitchers remain vital to the team's hopes of returning to the postseason, but 20-year-old outfielder Ronald Acuna showed this spring he's the team's future star and a key to hopes for improvement in 2018.That future may begin as soon as the middle of April."He's as good a prospect as I've seen," said former Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who was in camp as a roving instructor.Jones, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in July, was considered a foundation player of the franchise. Now first baseman Freddie Freeman has that role. Jones says Acuna has the talent to be another figurehead of the franchise.Acuna, a native of Venezuela, was sent to the minor league camp on Monday. The Braves would gain a seventh year of contractual control if he spends 15 days at Triple-A Gwinnett before making his major league debut.The Braves need... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs, expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Chipper Jones says this spring will be wide open for the Atlanta Braves."Guys need to know that this team and this organization are tired of the last few years," the former Braves star after Monday's first full-squad workout. "We're a very proud organization. We went through a rough offseason with the changing of the (front office), but ... there's definitely a change in attitude. You see it in the way the coaching staff is putting together spring training."The 45-year-old Jones was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility this winter. His 19-year career, all with Atlanta, ended in 2012 and nearly coincided with the Braves' run of 14 straight division titles. They come into 2018 on a streak of four straight losing seasons, including last year's 72-90 mark.In his role as a special assistant, the star third baseman is hoping that competition for positions might spark a revival."It's a free-for-all," Jones said. "There are a few people who had big... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League East entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Washington NationalsManager: Dave Martinez (first season).2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Chicago Cubs in NLDS.Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida.Park: The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.First Workout: Feb. 16/21.He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, C Jose Lobaton, 1B-LF Adam Lind, RHP Matt Albers.Going campin': It's become an all-too-familiar story for the Nationals and their fans: terrific regular season, followed by quick playoff exit, followed by a managerial change. Martinez will be the latest skipper to try to lead the club to postseason success — and GM Mike Rizzo has made it clear that ownership expects nothing less than a World Series championship. Martinez has been Joe Maddon's right-hand man with the Chicago... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Brian Snitker is hoping to face some tough decisions at the end of March.That would mean such top prospects as Ronald Acuna and Austin Riley have made such good impressions in Florida that it would be difficult to leave them off the Braves' opening day roster.For Snitker, the third-year manager, that'd be great news for Atlanta's future.Acuna, 20, an outfielder with power, speed and strong defense, is Atlanta's player to watch. He was the most valuable player of the Arizona Fall League, the youngest ever to earn that honor, and Baseball America's No. 1 prospect.The young native of Venezuela impressed the Braves last spring on his visits from the minor league camp. Even at 19, he looked ready for the major leagues."If you want to get right down to it, he probably made our club as a fence-jumper last year, really," Snitker said. "... It's going to be even more fun this year to have him in camp every day and see what the kid brings."The Braves would gain a seventh year of contractual... [More]

CF Lane Adams went 1-for-4 with a double and is hitting .279 this season. He has a five-game hit streak and is hitting .353 during that span.

CF Lane Adams continued his sudden power surge by clubbing his second homer in two games. He blasted a first-inning, three-run homer off Marlins starter Dan Straily. On Thursday, he hit another off Miami reliever Drew Steckenrider. He has hit five home runs this season, all coming in a span of 80 at-bats. Three of those have been against Marlins pitching, including a dramatic two-run walk-off homer on Sept. 10 -- the first game-ending RBI of his career.

OF Lane Adams hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning to give the Braves a 10-8 victory over the Marlins on Sunday, their third walk-off win in the four-game series. It was Adams' first game-ending homer at any level. The homer, which came on a first pitch, was the rookie's third of the year and he is batting .281 in 13 RBIs in 64 at-bats.

CF Lane Adams made his first start in his 45th game with the Braves this season and went 1-for-3 with a walk and one run. Adams began his third stint with the Braves this year on July 29 when he was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett. He is 8-for-33 (.242) as a pinch hitter with one homer and nine RBIs.

OF Lane Adams was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday to take Matt Kemp's roster spot. Adams has a .241 batting average and .646 OPS in 34 games (29 at-bats) at the major league level in 2017. Adams struck out in a pinch-hit appearance Saturday.

OF Lane Adams was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. He was 6-for-25 as a pinch hitter with a home run and six RBIs, three coming on a bases-clearing double Saturday against Arizona. Adams had been up with Atlanta since June 7 in his second stint this season with the team.

OF Lane Adams was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday for a second stint with Atlanta this season and was 0-for-2 against the Phillies after entering as a pinch hitter. Adams was 3-for-9 in nine games for the Braves before being returned to Gwinnett, where he hit .268 with five homers, five RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 41 games.

OF Lane Adams was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday. In nine games for Atlanta this season, he went 3-for-9 with one RBI.

OF Lane Adams had his contract purchased from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday. Adams is expected to serve as a bench bat for the Braves, whose pinch-hitters are just 2-for-29 this season. He earned the promotion by batting .333 with four homers and 16 RBIs in 13 games for Gwinnett. This is the second trip to the majors for Adams, who went 0-for-3 with a run scored in six games for the Kansas City Royals in 2014. The Braves signed Adams as a minor league free agent in December. He is a lifetime .270 hitter with 72 homers, 368 RBIs and 214 stolen bases in 802 minor league games dating back to 2009.

OF Lane Adams, designated for assignment by the Yankees on Feb. 1, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New York claimed him off waivers from Kansas City on Jan. 15. Adams, 26, split last season between Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .281/.347/.445 with 16 homers, 62 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 134 games.

OF Lane Adams, claimed off waivers by the Yankees from the Royals on Jan. 15, was designated for assignment Monday to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for newly re-acquired INF Ronald Torreyes. Adams, 26, split last season between Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .281/.347/.445 with 16 homers, 62 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 134 games.

OF Lane Adams was claimed off waivers from Kansas City.

OF Lane Adams was designated for assignment by the Royals on Wednesday to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for newly re-signed OF Alex Gordon. Adams, 26, hit a combined .281/.347/.445 with 16 homers, 62 RBIs and 31 stolen bases over 134 games in Double-A and Triple-A last year.

Adams was recalled by the Royals on Monday, Josh Vernier of Fox Sports Kansas City reports.

Adams will join Carlos Peguero as the two Setpember call-ups in the outfield for the Royals. He will be buried in the depth chart behind Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson, but center field is less crowded than the other two outfield spots, so Adams could find himself a little playing time in September.

Royals optioned OF Lane Adams to Double-A Northwest Arkansas; reassigned RHPs Jason Adam, Aaron Brooks, Sugar Ray Marimon and Kyle Zimmer, C Juan Graterol, INF Brandon Laird and OFs Jorge Bonifacio, Gorkys Hernandez, Melky Mesa and Paulo Orlando to minor league camp.

Adams was added to the 40-man roster in November after he batted .265/.353/.415 with 12 homers and 38 steals in 131 games last season between High-A and Double-A. The 24-year-old could make it as a fourth outfielder in the long run.