If you follow baseball in Atlanta, Georgia, the 1997 Atlanta Braves roster is one of those lineups that still gets talked about at Truist Park, in bars around The Battery Atlanta, and in living rooms all over metro Atlanta. That season sits right in the heart of the Braves’ 1990s dominance, when the team was a regular presence in October and packed out Turner Field.
This guide walks through the key players on the 1997 roster, what made that team special, and how fans in Atlanta today can connect with that era—whether you’re reliving memories or just now digging into Braves history.
For Atlanta residents, the 1997 Braves represent:
If you grew up in Atlanta in the ’90s, this is probably the team you remember watching on TV after school or at Turner Field on summer nights. Today, those memories are part of the city’s sports identity, right alongside the move from Turner Field to Truist Park in Cumberland.
The Braves’ 1997 roster changed a bit throughout the season, but the core group is well known to local fans. Below is a simplified look at the main contributors that most Atlantans remember.
| Position | Player | Notes for Atlanta Fans |
|---|---|---|
| C | Javy López | Power-hitting catcher, fan favorite in Atlanta |
| 1B | Fred McGriff | “Crime Dog,” steady power bat |
| 2B | Mark Lemke | Gritty infielder, known for clutch moments |
| SS | Jeff Blauser | Reliable shortstop and on-base contributor |
| 3B | Chipper Jones | Franchise icon, switch-hitting star |
| LF | Ryan Klesko | Lefty power bat, played 1B and LF |
| CF | Andruw Jones | Elite defense, rising star at just a teenager |
| RF | Michael Tucker | Speed and defense in the outfield |
These are the names you’ll see on throwback jerseys around Truist Park and at Braves-themed events across Atlanta.
For Atlantans, the pitching rotation is often what people remember first. The 1997 Braves had one of the most respected staffs in baseball.
For Atlanta fans who love pitching, this era still sets the standard for what a Braves rotation can be.
While the rotation got most of the headlines, the 1997 bullpen quietly helped secure a lot of wins for Atlanta.
If you go to Braves alumni events around Atlanta, you’ll sometimes see relief pitchers from this era turning up alongside the bigger names, especially at weekend series with a retro theme.
Below is a more complete list of the main players associated with the 1997 Braves season. Exact day-by-day rosters changed, but these are the names most Atlanta fans recall:
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
(Roster details can vary slightly depending on the exact point in the season, but these are the main contributors Atlanta fans usually include when talking about 1997.)
Starters
Relievers
When long-time Atlanta fans swap stories—whether you’re in Midtown, Decatur, or up in Cobb County—these are the names that come up again and again.
For someone living in or visiting Atlanta, understanding the 1997 roster helps put the modern Braves into context.
From an Atlanta perspective, 1997 sits in a long run where:
When you hear fans at Truist Park talk about “the old days,” they’re often thinking about this exact mix of strong pitching and balanced offense.
Many 1997 Braves are still closely tied to the city:
If you visit Truist Park and the surrounding Battery Atlanta development, you’ll find reminders of this era in statues, displays, and team history features.
If learning about the 1997 Atlanta Braves roster has you feeling nostalgic or curious, there are a few ways to connect that history to Atlanta right now.
While the 1997 Braves played at Turner Field, the franchise’s history is actively celebrated at:
Truist Park
755 Battery Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
What you can do:
Around the stadium and inside team-operated spaces, you’ll often find:
If you’re planning a visit from elsewhere in metro Atlanta, MARTA connections plus shuttles and rideshare options make it relatively straightforward to reach the ballpark area.
Many Atlanta fans rewatch classic games featuring the 1997 roster to:
Local sports bars—from Buckhead to Smyrna—will sometimes show old Braves clips on screen, especially during rain delays or on special themed nights.
If you’re in Atlanta and want to go deeper into the 1997 Braves:
The 1997 Atlanta Braves roster represents a peak era of baseball in Atlanta—an all-time rotation, a lineup filled with beloved names, and a team that helped cement the Braves as a central part of the city’s identity. Whether you’re attending a game at Truist Park, digging into Braves history from your home in metro Atlanta, or visiting town and wanting to understand why locals still talk about the ’90s teams, knowing the 1997 roster is a great place to start.
