Another year, and another time discussing that the Atlanta Braves have uncertainties at the shortstop position.
The hope was that Ha-Seong Kim could provide an answer for 2026 and beyond. Very few points in the season gave a sign that his tenure would pan out. He suffered a finger injury a month after re-signing, and that set the stage for what followed.
Fortunately for them, their safety net addition of Maurico Dubón brought more to the team than most ever would have given him credit for ahead of opening day.
Dubón posted a 2.7 WAR, while batting .276 and a .719 OPS. He posted a career-high 12 home runs and a career-high 10 stolen bases. He was even better in the clutch with a .321 average and an .805 OPS with runners in scoring position.
Defensively, he played to a level that’s earned him a finalist nod for the Gold Glove Award as a utility player.
While he can certainly man the outfield, Dubón will be crucial to the Braves' shortstop plans for next season if they can lock him back down. The thing is that, with a thin shortstop market, he’s going to have his suitors.
MLB Trade Rumors named Dubón the second-best free-agent shortstop behind Mariners free agent JP Crawford. They’re going to have to be willing to make him a strong offer to keep him around.
According to Spotrac, Dubón’s market value is listed as $11.4 million per year over two years ($22.8 million). That length of a deal would be perfect for a team that has young prospects who are about that same amount of time off from being major league ready.
The Braves would be wise to maybe pay a bit above that value to get him back on the team.
For comparison, Crawford’s market value is listed at $21.5 million per year for three years ($64.5 million). Crawford has a much stronger long-term track record, but Dubón entered free agency with a better year.
Apart from his 2023 season, where he posted a .266 average and an .818 OPS, his numbers aren’t significantly better than Dubón’s to justify that much more money. His career OPS is .707, and Dubón’s is .680.
Any payday that Dubón gets will be more worth the Braves’ while than signing the other top shortstop on the market.
But If They Don’t, Who Else Could the Braves Sign?
So who else is out there? Veteran utility options who are out there include Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Edmundo Sosa.
Both are similar in age to Dubón. Kiner-Falefa doesn’t bring the same bat, but Sosa would bring something closer.
Jazz Chisholm has had his name come up in the shortstop discussion for free agents in general, not necessarily the Braves. But this option seems the least likely of the other names who have come up. He hasn’t even played shortstop since 2021.
At least Kiner-Falefa and Sosa have played the position in the last season. With them, an incentive to explore those options is cost. They won’t have a big price tag.
Prospects in the Braves System
The only option in the system who would be ready to jump in is Jim Jarvis. He looked promising at the beginning of his call-up last season, but his bat dropped off.
Perhaps some time in big league camp and more reps could help, but you need another option along with him if he’s to get the chance to get a better handle on major league pitching.
Other options could be helpful later in the season after they time in Triple-A, such as John Gil or Alex Lodise. But they wouldn’t be ready for opening day.
Dubón is the Perfect Win-Now Bridge Player
So, looking at the options out there, Dubón is the clear best option to have as the shortstop for opening day. He delivers in the clutch and still comes at a very reasonable price. If he wants to stay, he might even agree to something more team-friendly.
Eventually, one of these up-and-coming prospects could be the guy, but it’s just not the time yet. Dubón could even be a solid mentor for those who are coming up. Jarvis has highlighted Dubón as an infielder he got to garner insight from in spring training.
There are plenty of benefits. They’d lose them if he goes elsewhere.
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