Olivera defected from Cuba in September 2014 to pursue a career in Major League Baseball,[4][5] establishing his residence in Haiti.

[3] His potential drew many scouts to his showcase in the Dominican Republic, where he was said to be in good physical condition with a quick bat and above-average power.

[6][7] His contract also reportedly included a clause that would allow the Dodgers to add on a seventh year for $1 million if Olivera required Tommy John surgery.

[9] Olivera worked out at the Dodgers training facility in the Dominican Republic while waiting for his visa to travel to the United States to be approved, which finally happened on May 11, 2015.

This was his first game action since the 2013-14 Cuban season and manager Razor Shines said, "For a guy that hasn't played in that long, his at-bats were really good.

[22] In the off-season, Olivera played in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente based in Puerto Rico, where he began a transition to left field.

He was subsequently placed on the MLB restricted list, and in his absence, the Braves recalled Daniel Castro from Triple-A Gwinnett as an infielder replacement.