LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Hesitant about using one of their top pitching prospects as a long reliever to start the season, the Braves signed Josh Tomlin to a Minor League deal on Thursday.

Tomlin, 34, will start Saturday afternoon’s game against the Mets. The Braves will then decide whether to place him on the Opening Day roster as a long reliever or send him to Triple-A Gwinnett to serve as a starting pitcher.

With Mike Foltynewicz set to begin the season on the injured list and Kevin Gausman likely unavailable until at least the regular season’s fifth game, Atlanta is going to fill these voids from within a group of top pitching prospects that includes Kyle Wright, Max Fried, Bryse Wilson and Touki Toussaint.

The Braves also would have the option to use any of these prospects to serve as a long reliever on a short-term basis. But they’d prefer to give the role to Tomlin, who was released by the Brewers on Wednesday.

Tomlin surrendered 25 home runs while posting a 6.14 ERA over just 70 1/3 innings for Cleveland last year. He allowed 12 hits (three home runs) and eight earned runs over 15 innings for Milwaukee this spring.