Jonah Heim, Braves Agree to 1-Year Deal

Veteran backstop Jonah Heim and the Atlanta Braves have reached agreement on a one-year contract, a source told MLB.com. The team has not confirmed the deal.

Why the Braves Need Him

Heim, 30, became a free agent when he was non-tendered by the Rangers on Nov. 21. He will provide an experienced backup behind reigning NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin while Sean Murphy begins the season on the injured list recovering from a right hip labral tear.

Heim's Track Record

As recently as 2023, Heim was a central figure on a Texas team that won the World Series. He earned the starting nod behind the plate for the American League All-Star team that summer and finished the regular season with 4.0 WAR (FanGraphs), ranking fourth on the Rangers. That year he hit .258 with 18 homers, 95 RBIs, a .755 OPS and 106 OPS+—all career highs—and won a Gold Glove.

Heim regressed sharply on both sides of the ball in 2024 and was unable to bounce back in 2025. Over 924 plate appearances in those two seasons he had a .602 OPS, 76 OPS+, and -4 fielding runs. Texas opted not to tender him for 2026 despite one year of team control remaining.

Heim made his MLB debut with the Athletics in 2020 and was acquired by the Rangers from Oakland in the February 2021 trade that sent Elvis Andrus to the A's.

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*Sources: MLB.com – Jonah Heim, Braves agree to 1-year deal. Fact-checked February 10, 2026.*