Braves acquire left-hander Ryan Rolison from the Rockies, according to announcements from both clubs. The Rockies, who designated Rolison for assignment yesterday, will receive a cash payment in return. Atlanta’s 40-man roster climbed to 38.
This is a buy-low move for Atlanta. Rollison was a first-round pick in 2018, selected by the Rockies with the 22nd overall pick in the first round. His signing bonus was just over $2.90. In the years following the draft, he was one of the club’s top prospects but had yet to reach his potential.
His path to the Grand Slams was disrupted in several ways. In 2020, the minor leagues were canceled due to the pandemic. The next few years were cut short by various injuries, most notably a shoulder problem. He pitched 71 2/3 minor league innings in 2021, missed the entire 2022 season, threw 11 innings in 2023, and then 46 1/3 innings in 2024. He was originally a starter but has spent much of his time in the bullpen recently.
In 2025, he finally appeared on the show, but the results were not ideal. He pitched 42 1/3 innings for Colorado this year, allowing 33 runs and a 7.02 ERA. His 13% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate were both below par.
If you’re looking for signs of optimism, his minor league numbers are worth a look. This year, he threw 29 2/3 Triple-A innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. In that environment, he posted a 3.34 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate, and 48.8% ground ball rate.
Rolison was eliminated in Colorado, but Atlanta has some room and will give him a chance. He also has an option year, so his new club can keep him in the minors as left-handed depth if they choose. His service time is two years and 114 days, meaning he is not yet arbitration-eligible for four seasons of control. If he ends up spending a lot of time on optional tasks, that number could increase to five.
Atlanta seems to enjoy bringing in relievers from Colorado. In recent years, they’ve caught people like this Pierce Johnson, Brad Hand and Tyler Kinley to bolster their bullpen group. Now they’re going to take action against Rolison. His overall track record isn’t great, but he’s a former first-rounder who’s optionable and controllable, and the cash they’re giving up is presumably minimal. They also won’t be relying on him as he’s probably seventh or eighth on the lefty depth chart Aaron Bammer, Dylan Lee, Dylan Dodd, Jose Suarez, Joey Wentz, Hayden Harris and/or Josh Walker.
Photos by David Frerker, Imagn Images
