The Braves announced that they have signed outfielder Jordan Luplow. It’s a one-year contract worth $1.4MM.
Luplow, 29, has appeared in the past six MLB seasons, spending time with Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Tampa and Arizona. He’s occasionally served as a valuable part-time player but his production has been fairly inconsistent.
He got brief showings at the major league level with the Pirates in 2017 and 2018, but got his most extended stretch of playing time with Cleveland in 2019. His 85 games in that season are still a career high, and he hit a tremendous .276/.372/.551. That production was 41% above league average, as evidenced by his 141 wRC+. However, the vast majority of that damage came against lefties, as the right-handed hitting Luplow slashed .320/.439/.742 with the platoon advantage and just .216/.274/.299 without it. That led to extremely lopsided production: a 205 wRC+ against southpaws but just 52 against righties.
He couldn’t carry that over into 2020, with his batting line sliding down to .192/.304/.359 for a wRC+ of 84. He bounced back in 2021, which included a trade to the Rays. He finished that campaign with a line of .202/.326/.454, 116 wRC+. Oddly, his penchant for mashing lefties was reversed that season, as he produced a 95 wRC+ against them but a 143 against northpaws.
Prior to 2022, the Rays traded him to the Diamondbacks, but he didn’t hit pitchers of any kind this year. He finished the campaign with an overall line of .176/.274/.361. That amounted to a 78 wRC+, with an 85 with the platoon advantage but 69 without.
Over 323 major league games, the total of Luplow’s work amounts to a roughly league average hitting. He’s walked at a healthy 11.8% rate and hit 45 home runs for a career .213/.313/.432 batting line. That amounts to a 102 wRC+, or 2% above league average, with a 125 against southpaws and 76 otherwise.
Defensively, Luplow is considered average or better on the grass. Defensive Runs Saved has given him +4 for his outfield work, with Ultimate Zone Rating coming in at 10.3 and Outs Above Average at an even zero. He’s played more in the corners but is capable of playing adequate center field in a pinch.
Atlanta’s outfield mix will consist of Ronald Acuña Jr. in right field and Michael Harris II in center. Left field is more of an open question, as both Eddie Rosario and Marcell Ozuna have been below average in each of the past two seasons, Rosario’s postseason heroics notwithstanding. It’s possible that Luplow and the left-handed hitting Rosario could form a platoon in left, though it’s also possible that Luplow will serve as a fourth outfielder who gets the occasional start against particular lefties. Rosario’s career platoon splits are notable but not drastic, as he has a wRC+ of 108 against righties and 85 otherwise. Harris also hits from the left side and could get the occasional day off while yielding center to Luplow.
2022 was Luplow’s first arbitration season and he earned a salary of $1.4MM. He was projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a raise up to $2MM but the Diamondbacks designated him for assignment in November. Luplow now latches on with Atlanta for 2023, making the exact same salary he did this year. He will finish 2023 shy of the six years of MLB service time necessary to reach free agency, meaning Atlanta could retain him for 2024 via arbitration if they so choose. He also has one option year remaining and could be sent to the minors to serve as depth.
Though the salary is modest, it nudges the club closer to luxury tax territory. Roster Resource currently pegs the club’s payroll at $197MM with a competitive balance tax calculation just shy of $230MM. That leaves them just over $3MM away from the CBT threshold of $233MM.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Looks like a Luplow, Rosario, Ozuna trifacta will shake up MLB this upcoming season.
Phillies got Trae Turner, Mets got literally everyone… Braves get Jordan Luplow.
At least we are keeping pace
Why?
OF depth – most likely late-inning platoon since he’s good vs. LHP.
I second that why bravesnc. I could see a minor league contract for Luplow with a spring trading invite….
Yes and even that being a stretch but easier understood.
Luplow has always mashed lefties, so he’ll platoon some with Ozuna I imagine and also PH or DH vs LHP.
He’ll take over Heredia’s role as head cheerleader.
That’s quite a low salary.
Wild guess: They’re ditching Rosario and (I hope) Ozuna. Probably eating a lot of $$$ in the process.
Where is the trade Acuna guy!?
Clutching Dansby’s leg while he’s dragged down the jet bridge en route to O’Hare.
Hopefully at the bottom of the ocean
Just don’t let him face RHP.. he does well vs LHP
Historically that is correct but even the last couple seasons he has not mashed against left handed pitching. I was trying to see a weak side platoon partner on the Braves and cannot. I don’t understand this signing at all for the Braves. At least how their roster looks now.
The Braves need to upgrade their bench, Luplow will provide depth at all outfield positions and first base. Mostly he will likely platoon with Rosario in left field.
You mean… future Braves legend Jordan Luplow???
‘The Lupper’!
or maybe ‘The Looper’?
Ok “the looper” actually made me crack up haha
Please win one for The Lupper!!
Almost sounds like a disease…or a reference to a dude with a disease.
Like, “No way, bro, you touched a Lupper?! You better get checked out right away!”
Or…”She had Lupper bumps all over. I didn’t feel them at first, but one popped.”
Thanks Clip I just threw up my tomato soup! Haha
I’d like to see what Sam Hilliard can do. At least he has some power.
As a Rockies fan, I can tell you. Hilliard does have power and it will go a long way…when he makes contact. But he misses far more than he hits. Maybe your hitting coach can fix him.
At this point resign Duvall
Surely this is nothing more than a bench/depth piece, because ironically offensively he might make the outfield worse. I have no idea how he is defensively…. So I’m sure he’s an upgrade there. But god, can we not find a guy that provide both decent offense and decent defense. Cause Ozuna and Eddie provide bad offense and defense at the moment
He’s surprisingly good defensively. Nothing amazing, but I can’t really remember any plays he botched.
There was only 2 good FA outfielders this year, All the rest were league avg at best.
League avg would be an upgrade at the moment
The cheap @ss braves, lol. So pathetic.
So cheap that their payroll is over 200 mil
So cheap that they made more money than any other franchise last season and their big FA signing is Luplow. Yeah…somebody is pocketing a ton of money.
A team with a top 10 payroll lol? They aren’t a New York or los Angeles team and they are in better shape than most teams, the off-season isn’t over either. Go be a ass somewhere quietly please.
They are 4th, not first. Just because you earn money, doesn’t mean you spend everything.
The fact people equate how much you spend and how much you sign a guy for with their ability to produce.
Only team with the highest payroll of the last 12 years to win the World Series was the 2018 RedSox who were found to have cheated and punished by MLB.
stevetheump.com/Payrolls.htm
In a division that two others are going over 300 mil.
What no other catchers available?
Mooooovin da needle!
Folks still butt hurt over the Swanson departure. This Market was completely out of control. Yes they need to figure out SS but not for 25M. Had to pass on that contract. Trust AA, Snit,Wash,EY and company to get the most out of whoever is there. Remember when we were ready to run Dansby out of town?
Thank you
Well you did run him out of town. Now Braves fans are acting like Swanson and Contreras were just ok. Your team took two frantic hits this week.
I think 7/177 that he signed would have been difficult for Braves to swing, but he reportedly would have signed for 6/140 which I think is way more reasonable
Luplow has excellent saw to wood skills, after proper measuring, and he can hammer nails with the best of them. Definitely can help build a good bench.
He is going to make a world class Carpenter one day no doubt.
Heck for 1Mil I’d ride pine at the end of the bench with a pink plastic sword.
“Northpaws”? I’ve never heard that used before.
Over a mill to be awful. Have fun with that braves fans. So glad he’s off my snakes
Yeah now they can go all the way, right?
Nah I don’t expect much from my snakes. He was just taking up a roster/playing time from our younger players.
In completely random world, his cousin is an account executive with Rocket Mortgage and handles me account.
OK, wait…
Did you recognize the not particularly common last name and ask the random mortgage guy if he was related?
Or does he introduce himself as “Hi, I’m Jacob Luplow, account adviser and cousin to a fringe big leaguer, how can I help you today?”
The former.
Luplow was playing in Cleveland at the beginning of his career and one day I just put the two together and asked my rep if she’s related to him.
OK, next question, then…
How many Joanna DeGrom’s, Marianna Puig’s and Bob Trout’s do you have to go through to find a Kimberly Luplow?
So far zero, ha ha.
Was Jordan Schafer unavailable? Remember when we used to get rid of guys who couldn’t hit .200(Andruw Jones of all people) and now we make sure we have 5 or 6 of them every season to platoon
When I said earlier that the braves needed to make an upgrade, this isn’t what I had in mind. The braves need one big addition. They still could very well win or at least get 2nd in the division but the point is making your roster stronger than the year before.
I have to think AA has a trade he is working on. I don’t think he will start the season with a team that isn’t as good as last years.
I would hope and pray something is on the way.
Braves are contenders now! Look out NL East & move over Astros lol
Everybody keeps forgetting that AA just signed Austin Riley (ten years, $212MM), Michael Harris II (eight years, $72MM) and Spencer Strider (six years, $75MM) in late summer. Plus the Bullpen guys. Thats not enough? AA is dong a Great job!!
Not with holes @ SS,LF, & DH. Commiting to being bad @ 3 of 9 spots isn’t ideal in a competitive NL East. Hopefully Grissom has some success & the catchers can keep DH productive. LF is going to be rough. 30th in the league in LF last year…
You have zero room to adjust when a couple of those contracts goes belly up. Two of those guys didn’t even get through their rookie seasons.
Jordan Luplow=Guillermo Heredia with more power.
One has to wonder if the Braves are getting ready to eat some cash and part ways with Ozuna or Rosario (or both)
Either way, they aren’t getting any better…
Reading these comments generates some ugly deja vu. Let’s just take all the pessimistic, sarcastic, disparaging things everyone said about AA and ATL during the 2019, 2020, and 2021 off-seasons and paste them here to save time. The results: 3 playoff appearances, 1-1 in NLCS series and a WS ring. Seems like maybe the Braves have a better grip on building quality baseball teams than MLBTR readers?
The team that went 21-10 from September 1st til the end of the season to take the division from the Mets, and didn’t have Ozzie Albies for most of the season isn’t any better? Sure they lost Swanson but this is still a damn good team
Good team yes, just not any better than before. With the rest of the title contenders significantly improving the sideways trajectory doesn’t bode well. A rebound season from Acuna is the real wildcard for the year. A drop off in power will occur in the lineup so they need the power hitting Ronald back be again. I actually think if Grissom can adjust with the league his offense can be satisfactory. The left field situation is awful though… Was hoping to see Drury signed for the power & defensive versatility.
I tempered my expectations before the off-season started for the Braves. I do like Sean Murphy more than Contreras so I think there is a marginal upgrade there. I think a Murphy/D’Arnaud time share is a pretty damn ideal situation and smart with D getting a little old as catchers go. I just don’t think the total contribution is going to move the needle a whole lot.
I think this is one of those seasons Braves fans are going to have to find the silver lining in small moves. I know there is plenty of off-season left but from what I can see, the top 2 remaining free agents are Brandon Drury and Nathan Evioldi. As for money, while the Braves McQuirk did mention they see this teams payroll being in the top 5, it’s really not far from that now. I also doubt their desire to spend anything anyway. The Braves also don’t have much left in the way of farm assets.
They could do trades from major league assets but who are you going to take away to add more? If you’re mind goes to Grissom, I think that’s a huge mistake. We are already seeing talent that came up from the Atlanta farm leave to other teams. I know Grissom might not turn into everything we hope for but it’s really the chance you have to take to keep your team competitive when you don’t have the deeper pockets of the Dodgers or Mets.
I’m no Braves fan, but the possibility of a full season from Acuna, Strider, Albies, Soroka, and even small improvements from Harris and Grissom scares the heck out of me. And it’s only December!
I should have ended that statement with how Braves fans should still be overjoyed at the team they have because it is young and should be competitive for several years, giving time to produce more young talent. I think what I said was a bit more melancholy than I intended.
As for it only being December, I did mention there is still a lot of off-season but given the talent available on the market and the slim pickings on the farm, I don’t see big moves coming. There may still be GOOD moves but nothing flashy.
@SalaryCapMyth You are right and with the group of players that are already signed, This is probably what will happen for years to come. only signing a few lower tier players each year. Also with the rule changes Alex might be holding back to sign players for the new issues that might arise.
Over/Under 75 Steals for Acuna ?
Wow!!! Definitely under! Been 2007 since someone has stolen that many bases.