The Braves acquired first baseman Lewin Diaz from the Orioles for cash, pushing Atlanta’s roster to 39 players.
The #Braves today acquired 1B Lewin DÃaz from the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 23, 2022
In the past month, the journeyman has bounced around the league. He was first designated for assignment by the Marlins before the Rule 5 draft, then joined the Pirates via waiver claims, and finally landed in Baltimore by the same method. The Orioles ended up parting ways with him in favor of Mychal Givens.
Diaz is a typical AAAA guy that has impressed enough in the minors to interest clubs, but the MLB production has been lacking. In 112 MLB games over three years with Miami, Diaz has managed a measly .181/.227/.340 line. Last season, he had a career-high 174 plate appearances with worse numbers, including a 31% strikeout rate. However, there are always the bright moments in the minors that keep guys like Diaz around the league. With Triple-A Jacksonville, he slashed .252/.323/.492 with 19 home runs.
He’s out of minor league options, and it’s clear Diaz isn’t much of a major league player. The ‘upside’ that kept him around Miami for so long is running out of steam. For the Braves, he has a solid floor as a depth piece behind Matt Olson. He has power and can play quality defense, but hopefully, Olson is healthy enough that the club doesn’t have to rely on him.
—
You must log in to post a comment.