Thirteen Members of Gwinnett’s 2026 Club Named to Atlanta Braves’ NLWCS Roster

The Atlanta Braves announced their 26-player roster for the 2026 National League Wild Card Series vs. Philadelphia today, a group that includes 13 players who appeared in a game with the Gwinnett Stripers this past season.

The list of 2026 Stripers includes pitchers Dylan Dodd, Didier Fuentes, Ray Kerr, Victor Mederos, and Robert Suarez, infielders Ha-Seong Kim, Rowdy Tellez, and Luke Williams, catchers Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy, and outfielders Ronald Acuña Jr., Brewer Hicklen, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr.

Acuña Jr. (6 games), Baldwin (1 game), Kim (17 games), Murphy (15 games), and Suarez (1 game) were all Stripers briefly as part of injury rehab assignments on behalf of the Braves. Dodd was a regular member of Gwinnett’s Opening Night roster and later returned for a three-game rehab assignment in May.

Fuentes (3 starts), Kerr (3 relief appearances), and Mederos (16 games, 5 starts) were all non-rehab Stripers briefly before becoming key pieces of Atlanta’s bullpen.

Hicklen and Keirsey Jr. both logged significant time with the Stripers before late-season call-ups to the Braves.

Hicklen led Gwinnett in home runs (18), batting .302 with 64 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, and an .893 OPS in 96 games in addition to his 20 regular-season games with Atlanta. Keirsey Jr. became just the third player in Gwinnett history to record a 40-steal season, batting .247 with 15 doubles, three triples, six homers, and 36 RBIs in 109 games before playing his final five games of the year in the Majors.

The biggest surprise inclusions are Tellez and Williams, who were not on Atlanta’s 28-man roster in September and spent the bulk of 2026 with the Stripers.

Aside from a seven-game stint with the Braves in June, Tellez was a Gwinnett mainstay, leading the team in RBIs (67) and slugging percentage (.466) while batting .267 with 16 homers and an .821 OPS in 102 games. Williams, briefly a Brave for two games in early April, hit .218 with 18 doubles, one triple, nine homers, 31 RBIs, and 37 steals in 103 games with the Stripers.

Gwinnett alums on the Braves’ NLWCS roster from previous seasons include Ozzie Albies (2016-17, 2022, 2024), Michael Harris II (2023-24), Grant Holmes (2023-24), Raisel Iglesias (2023), Dylan Lee (2021-24), Austin Riley (2018-19), and game one starting pitcher Chris Sale (2025).

Baldwin, Dodd, Fuentes, Hicklen, Keirsey Jr., Kerr, Mederos, and Williams are all set to make their MLB Postseason debuts as the best-of-three series vs. the Phillies begins today at Truist Park. Game one begins at 2:00 p.m.