In case you missed it, the Braves suffered yet another critical injury in last night’s win over the Red Sox when Orlando Arcia injured his hamstring while attempting to turn a single into a double. He will hit the Injured List, and it’s not yet known whether he will return this season.
Brian Snitker said Orlando Arcia said he heard his left hamstring pop.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) August 10, 2022
Regardless, Arcia will be out a while, and the Braves are desperate for a replacement. They have a few journeyman options on their AAA squad, and they could potentially evaluate what’s out there as far as free agents are concerned. However, perhaps their best and most exciting option is calling up top prospect Vaughn Grissom from AA Mississippi.
Grissom began the year in High-A Rome but was recently promoted to Mississippi about a month ago. That would be an incredible jump to the majors, but his success in AA combined with the Braves’ desperation for a middle infielder just might warrant the early call up.
Through 24 games with Mississippi, Grissom is hitting a ridiculous .364 with three homers — good for a .924 OPS. And that comes after he hit .312 with 11 home runs in 74 games for Rome. The 21-year-old shortstop can flat out rake, and he should be a plus-defender at second base if the Braves do decide to move in this direction.
Never in a million years did I expect Grissom to receive the call this season. But the team called up Michael Harris after just 43 games in Mississippi because they had a hole in their outfield. Now, the Braves have an even bigger hole at second base, and Grissom has actually been significantly better offensively in the minors than Harris. Given the other options on the table, Grissom has the most upside by a country mile.
I wouldn’t be shocked at all if the Braves pulled the trigger, and Mississippi Braves broadcaster Chris Harris had a cryptic tweet late last night that suggests something special could be on the horizon.
https://twitter.com/CHarris731/status/1557266395339149313
This is a situation to monitor closely, and even if it doesn’t happen today, Grissom is a potential option down the road if the Braves can’t find a semblance of production at second base until Ozzie Albies returns. However, I have a feeling Braves country is going to get a taste of their next top prospect very soon.
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