A player that a lot of Braves fans have been high on is getting some love from Baseball America. Ignacio “Nacho” Alvarez was a fifth round pick in 2022 out of Riverside Community College, and he may be one last parting gift from former Director of Scouting and current Astros GM Dana Brown.
Let's assess the first-half Minor League Players of the Year for all 30 organizationshttps://t.co/9EUKlBeIzm
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) July 15, 2023
Alvarez has been fantastic in 2023 after a strong start to his career in 2022. He could be a real contributor for the Braves sooner rather than later:
Atlanta Braves
Ignacio Alvarez, SS
High-A RomeThe Braves are rich in young pitching prospects with upside but are looking for a young hitter to emerge. Alvarez, a 2022 fifth-rounder out of junior college, may be that hitter. The 20-year-old hit .294/.412/.393 with four homers and 14 steals in 75 games.
Alvarez slashed .287/.451/.394/.845 last year, and as you can see, he’s finally starting to tap into some of that raw power. He’s tearing up A+ Rome, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Alvarez promoted to Mississippi soon, especially with how aggressive the Braves can be with prospect promotions.
Orlando Arcia has been fantastic for the Braves this season after winning the job out of Spring Training. He’s also under contract for three more seasons at just $2 million per year. However, I’m still not totally sold on him being the starting shortstop of the future for the Braves long-term. That’s a question the Braves will have to answer down the road, and perhaps Alvarez could become part of the discussion in a couple of years.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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