The Atlanta Braves are signing 18-year MLB veteran Andrew McCutchen to a minor-league deal Friday as the 2013 NL MVP looks to extend his career.The organization assigned McCutchen, affectionately known as “Cutch,” to the FCL Braves, a rookie-level team that competes in the Florida Complex League.McCutchen, 39, originally signed a minor-league deal with the Texas Rangers on March 6 and used the last few weeks of spring training to prove himself. It didn’t take long to turn his MiLB deal into an Opening Day roster spot, as he posted a 1.270 OPS in nine games of Cactus League play. McCutchen was the sixth-oldest player on a major-league roster when the season began.However, his tenure with Texas was short-lived. He struggled in 37 games and hit .192 while splitting time between designated hitter and the outfield.
McCutchen’s 59 OPS+ was the worst mark among Rangers with at least 50 plate appearances, and his minus-0.3 bWAR was also the lowest.The Rangers designated McCutchen for assignment and ultimately released him, prompting questions over whether he would retire.Before signing the deal with Texas, McCutchen sought a reunion with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who drafted him out of high school in 2005 and turned him into the face of the franchise with his 2009 debut.He finished that season fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting. Pittsburgh, however, continued to flounder in the NL Central by losing 105 games one year later, its worst season since 2001.But as McCutchen improved, so did the Pirates. The club improved in each of the following five seasons, going from 72 wins in 2011 to 94 wins and the first of three consecutive postseason appearances in 2013.The Pirates eventually went in another direction and traded McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants in 2018. He also spent time with the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers before returning to Pittsburgh for three seasons (2023-25).Now, the five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner with a major-league career batting average of .271 heads to Florida to play rookie ball with FCL Braves teammates 20 years his junior.Jul 3, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
