The Braves have re-signed former Angels left-handed reliever Brian Moran to another minor league contract. While many players have struggled to make an impact during their time with the Angels, it’s encouraging to see some continue their careers elsewhere. That’s the case for the 36-year-old Moran, who spent the 2022 season primarily with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate, Salt Lake, before joining the Braves in 2023. Now entering his third consecutive season with Atlanta, Moran’s new minor league deal includes an invitation to major league camp.
Moran’s stint with the Angels was brief and less than stellar. He made just one MLB appearance for the team in 2022, recording one out while surrendering three hits, two runs, one home run, and issuing an intentional walk. This outing left him with an eye-popping ERA of 54.00 and a WHIP of 12.00. However, at Triple-A Salt Lake, he performed solidly despite the challenging pitching conditions, posting a 4.07 ERA and 52 strikeouts over 48.2 innings. In 2023, he excelled with Atlanta’s Triple-A Gwinnett team but faced setbacks in 2024, including multiple stints on the Development List. Still, the Braves clearly value his unique skill set.
Moran is a left-handed sidewinder with one of the most unusual arsenals in baseball. While most pitchers with his arm angle produce arm-side movement on their pitches, Moran’s four-seam fastball cuts from his sidearm release point. Despite its mid-80s velocity, the pitch generates a surprising number of strikeouts. However, his signature weapon is a sweeping breaking ball, a slow, loopy pitch in the upper 60s to lower 70s that induces swings and misses and keeps hitters off-balance. Interestingly, Moran’s arsenal is more effective against right-handed hitters, although his delivery makes it challenging for left-handers to pick up the ball.
A University of North Carolina alum, Moran was drafted by the Mariners in the 7th round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He debuted in the majors in 2019 with the Marlins, appearing in 15 games across the 2019 and 2020 seasons. His career has been eventful, with stops in multiple organizations, including a return to Miami after a brief stint with the Blue Jays in 2020. As the brother of Colin Moran and the nephew of MLB players Rick and B.J. Surhoff, baseball runs deep in his family. Despite the ups and downs, Moran’s journey is far from over, and he remains a unique pitcher worth watching.
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