The Windy City ThunderBolts announced on Friday that Daniel Carela’s contract had been purchased by the Atlanta Braves. Carela becomes the third ThunderBolt and the 34th Frontier Leaguer since opening day to be signed by a big league organization.
Carela will be getting another opportunity in affiliated ball, after splitting 2013 between the Dodgers’ and the Phillies’ organizations. He was also in spring training with the Cleveland Indians.
Carela, who has been the ThunderBolts’ closer for most of the 2014 season, was seven for eight in save chances. He had a 2.28 ERA in 26 appearances and struck out 39 batters in only 27.2 innings pitched. Carela was in his second stint in the Frontier League. He spent much of the 2012 season pitching for the Joliet Slammers and went 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 36 games, while playing for current ThunderBolts manager and then-Slammers bench coach Ron Biga.
Carela joins fellow pitchers Zak Wasserman and Markus Solbach as Windy City players to be signed during the 2014 season. They were both picked up by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Carela is the first ThunderBolt to be signed by the Braves since Donovan Drave in 2012 and just the second overall.
He will try to become the third ThunderBolt behind, Dylan Axelrod and Andrew Werner to pitch in the Major Leagues.
