The Atlanta Braves are set at the majority of their positions. They have stars such as Austin Riley, Matt Olson, and Ozzie Albies locking down the infield. Meanwhile, Ronald Acuna Jr and Michael Harris will lead the charge in the outfield. However, Atlanta has uncertainty at one premier position following a specific free agency departure.
Dansby Swanson signed with the Chicago Cubs in free agency, leaving a hole at shortstop. The Braves don't have the best farm system in baseball, but they do have a pair of capable replacements nonetheless. Vaughn Grissom and Orlando Arcia are in the midst of a battle for shortstop.
Without further ado, let's break down the Braves primary Spring Training position battle.
Vaughn Grissom
Vaughn Grissom is the favorite to take over shortstop duties. There were initial rumors that stated he could move to the outfield, but Brian Snitker quickly shot those down.
Grissom, who features a strong all-around skill set, recently earned a bode of confidence from Braves third base coach Ron Washington.
“I’m not thinking he can do the job, I know he can do the job,” Washington said of Vaughn Grissom, per MLB.com. “But he has to come up in here and he has to win a job. We’re not giving him anything. We just tried to get him ready to compete, and he’s ready to compete.”
Washington's comments make it clear that this is indeed a position battle.
Grissom appeared in 41 games for the Braves last season, slashing .291/.353/.440 with a .792 OPS. He clubbed five home runs and swiped five bases as well. Grissom features a high ceiling but he still needs to perform well as the spring continues on.
Orlando Arcia
Orlando Arcia has the advantage of veteran experience. He's played in the big leagues since 2016, spending the first four seasons of his career in Milwaukee with the Brewers. Arcia didn't provide much offensive upside, but he was a decent defender with impressive speed.
Arcia joined the Braves in 2021 and struggled mightily at the plate in limited action. However, he performed better in 2022, although, he only appeared in 67 games for Atlanta.
He slashed .244/.316/.416 with a .733 OPS and nine home runs over 234 plate appearances last year. Again, his numbers don't jump off the page by any means, but they were better than the majority of his career averages.
The Braves would likely roll with Arcia if Grissom failed to impress during the spring. With that being said, Atlanta hasn't been shy about giving young players opportunities in the past.
Final thoughts on the Braves' shortstop position battle
Other players who can fill in at shortstop include Adeiny Hechavarria and Ehire Adrianza. Although, Vaughn Grissom is the front runner.
Replacing Dansby Swanson, who was an All-Star in 2022, will be a challenge. The Braves do have the advantage of featuring an overall talented roster. As a result, they should be able to compete regardless of what kind of output they receive from shortstop.
But if either Grissom or Arcia can run away with the job and perform at a high level, that would be a major benefit for the Braves. Shortstop production will be even more important considering that Atlanta's primary rivals, the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, both have superstars playing shortstop for them.
Fans will want to keep tabs on the Braves' shortstop position battle during Spring Training.
Follow Us
Subscribe