King Felix to Atlanta

Almost eighteen years after coming close to signing Felix Hernandez as a 16-year-old kid from Venezuela, the Atlanta Braves finally will have the right-hander in their spring training camp. The Braves agreed to a minor league contract with Hernandez Monday that includes a trip to big league spring training in North Port, FL.

The Braves scouts believed they had Hernandez in the fold back in 2002, but he instead signed late with the Seattle Mariners. Hernandez made his debut in Seattle in 2005 and for 12 seasons was one of the best pitchers in the American League.

From 2005 through 2016, Hernandez made six All-Star teams and had a 154-109 record in 359 starts, with an earned run average of 3.16. Hernandez was the American League Cy Young winner in 2010 when he had a 2.27 ERA in 34 starts with 232 strikeouts in 249.2 innings pitched.