SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Atlanta Braves promoted former Mercer University pitcher Cory Gearrin to its 25-man major league roster as announced by team officials on Friday morning. Gearrin joined the Braves for their weekend series in San Francisco from Triple-A affiliate Gwinnett.

Gearrin was drafted by Atlanta in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player draft. Gearrin is the first former Bear coached by current MU head coach Craig Gibson to reach the Major Leagues.

Gearrin has posted a 2.61 ERA and worked 10.1 innings in six appearances for Gwinnett this year. He has limited left-handed hitters to a .167 (2-for-12) batting average.

Gearrin was also with the Gwinnett Braves in 2010, amassing a 3-5 record and a 3.36 earned run average in 80.1 innings of work. The versatile 6'3", 200-pound righthander led Gwinnett with 52 appearances, which also ranked second among the Braves' entire minor league system.

In 2007 at Mercer, Gearrin had a team-leading 13 saves which ranks as the second-most in a single season in Bears' history. His 2.44 ERA that same season is also the eighth-best on MU's books.