Braves sign intriguing Cuban pitcher to minor-league deal
According to Francys Romero, the Atlanta Braves have inked a minor-league deal with Cuban left-handed pitcher Julio Robaina. Sources: Cuban LHP Julio Robaina signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. Robaina, 25, was Cuba’s No. 3 starter in the 2026 WBC. He posted a 1-0, 1.47 ERA, 18.1 IP and 15 strikeouts with […]
According to Francys Romero, the Atlanta Braves have inked a minor-league deal with Cuban left-handed pitcher Julio Robaina.
Sources: Cuban LHP Julio Robaina signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.
Robaina, 25, was Cuba’s No. 3 starter in the 2026 WBC.
He posted a 1-0, 1.47 ERA, 18.1 IP and 15 strikeouts with Quintana Roo in the Mexican Baseball League this season. pic.twitter.com/1KSwMOLMO5
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) May 10, 2026
Robaina has posted some impressive numbers in the Mexican Baseball League this season, recording a 1.47 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 18.1 innings. He also made an appearance for Cuba during the World Baseball Classic, though it’s probably an outing he’d rather forget after allowing three earned runs in just 1.1 innings.
With the emergence of Spencer Strider paired with the rapid rises of JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes, the Braves pitching staff is already becoming crowded. Add in the possibility of other proven arms returning later this season — Hurston Waldrep, Spencer Schwellenbach, and AJ Smith-Shawver — and it certainly won’t be easy for Robaina to carve out a role in Atlanta.
That said, there’s no such thing as too much pitching. Injuries can pile up quickly — something the Braves know better than almost anyone after last season — and this front office has built a reputation for uncovering value in these types of under-the-radar additions.
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(Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire)
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