This offseason, the Atlanta Braves have made a ton of decisions. I won’t go into every trade in detail here, but I will concentrate on how few infield utility gloves the Braves still have. This offseason, they bid farewell to Luke Williams, Braden Shewmake, and Nicky Lopez. Only Vaughn Grissom is still usable as a utility glove.
From what we have seen so far, at least, Vaughn Grissom is not really suited for playing infield defense in the Major Leagues. Grissom was on track to save -53 defensive runs during 1,200 innings played at shortstop in the previous season. Over his career, he has also recorded a -9 drs pace at second base.
The Braves now have to supply depth at the utility position in the infield. Nicky Lopez was an excellent defender and his glove was his greatest weapon. But the Braves decided that his estimated $4 million salary in 2024 was too high for the position. With the exception of injuries, Braves starters typically play every day. The importance of bench roles has decreased in the last few seasons as the DH has been used in the NL.
What qualities are the Braves seeking in a utility infielder, then? affordable, functional defense. That’s all there is to it.
Having said that, the following three former Braves of Atlanta might be a good fit for a run with the 2024 team.
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