The Atlanta Braves contain one of the best rosters in Major League Baseball. If they can get past the injury bug in 2026, they are a shoo-in for the postseason, despite playing in a competitive National League East Division.
The Braves missed out on the postseason last year because they could never get into a rhythm when it mattered. They actually began the season 0-7 after getting swept by both the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in April of 2025. They found a way to bounce back at times but ended up finishing with a 76-86 record. The Miami Marlins even finished with a record better than the Braves, and if 2026 is kind to Miami, then there will be four teams competing for the playoffs from the NL East. We all know the Philadelphia Phillies will be close, and the new-look New York Mets should be very good.
The Braves have players on the roster with tons of experience, especially in 2021 when they won it all. Ronald Acuna Jr is one of the best players on the planet, and if he is healthy for all of 2026, he will be an MVP candidate once again.
Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Michael Harris Jr, Mike Yastrzemski, Jurickson Profar, and Eli White are other notable players. Marcell Ozuna is currently a free agent, and it doesn't seem like a return to Atlanta is in the works.
The Braves have a ton of catchers who will compete for the roster this season. 2025 NL Rookie of the Year winner Drake Baldwin will likely be the starter with Sean Murphy as a backup once healthy. However, Jonah Heim signed last week. Heim will be the backup while Murphy is on the Injured List. Sandy Leon is also a rising player. That will be a position to watch in 2026; however, the shortstop position will have a position battle this spring training.
Mauricio Dubón and Jorge Mateo will battle for the starting spot. Let's break down both players and discuss why the starter could shape the entire season for the Braves. Ha-Seong Kim will be out until May with an injury. If he were healthy, he would compete for the spot and be the likely starter with his defense.
Mauricio Dubón
Dubón is a great utility player who can play any position on the diamond if needed. He has had a decent career with the San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros, becoming a strong bench player and role filler if needed. He has also started his fair share of games. Dubón is a career .257 hitter with an OPS of .669. He is not much of a power threat. His speed and defense will be the primary reasons why he starts a lot of games at shortstop.
Dubón does not have the ceiling that Jorge Mateo has; however, his experience should give him the edge early in the season. Dubón can be a great leader for this Braves team and an x-factor in case the injuries start to pile up again. They could slide him around to other positions if needed.
Jorge Mateo
If Jorge Mateo beats out Dubón for the starting job at shortstop, then that means he had to have had a great spring training offensively. Mateo is one of the fastest players in the league, even faster than Dubón, which is saying something. Mateo excelled at times with the Baltimore Orioles after beginning his career with the Padres as a teammate of Kim.
In 2022, Mateo had a decent season with the Orioles, hitting only .221; however, he smashed 13 home runs, drove in 50 RBIs, and stole 35 bases. His strikeouts were a major issue as he K'd up 147 times in 494 at-bats. Those numbers really never improved over the years, and so the Orioles declined his option, making him a free agent.
ATL brought Mateo in to compete with Dubón and to be a filler until Kim comes back. The Braves need Mateo to improve at the plate and become an extra bat when needed. Mateo batting at the end of the lineup could serve as another leadoff hitter in front of the top of the order. He has a shot to become the starter if his offense proves to be better than Dubón's.
Ha-Seong Kim
Kim is injured right now and will start the season on the IL with Murphy. Kim is an incredible defensive player who has won a Gold Glove award with the Padres. He is also a three-time KBO Gold Glove winner, as his defensive prowess is among the best in the league. Injuries have derailed a strong start to his MLB career.
