The Braves announced a series of roster moves today, reinstating right-hander Raisel Iglesias from the injured list while optioning left-hander Dylan Dodd in a corresponding move. They also recalled infielder Braden Shewmake to take the roster spot of infielder Ehire Adrianza, who has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 2, with right elbow inflammation. In addition, catcher Travis d’Arnaud will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett tonight after spending the past four weeks on the concussion-related injured list.
Shewmake, 25, will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game. Selected 21st overall in 2019, he’s generally been considered one of the club’s top 10 or so prospects since then, but mostly due to his defense. He spent 2021 in Double-A, walking in just 4.9% of his plate appearances and hitting .228/.271/.401 for a wRC+ of 84. He was promoted to Triple-A last year and improved his walk rate to 7.5% but still produced a tepid slash of .259/.316/.399 and an 89 wRC+.
Despite the still-developing bat, Atlanta added him to their 40-man roster in November to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. He then became a surprising entrant in the club’s shortstop battle this spring, as they had a question mark at the position for the first time in years. With Dansby Swanson having departed for the Cubs in free agency, the plan was for prospect Vaughn Grissom and veteran Orlando Arcia to duke it out for the job. Shewmake had a strong spring and seemed to get himself into consideration alongside those two, but Arcia eventually won the gig on Opening Day.
Shewmake returned to Triple-A and has a .243/.282/.456 batting line through 110 plate appearances this year for a 79 wRC+. His walk rate is down again to just 5.5% but he does have five home runs, almost matching the seven he hit last year. Four of those five have come in the past two weeks, as he’s hitting a much stronger .271/.333/.583 since April 20. That perhaps indicates he’s getting into a groove but it’s also a small sample size after a few years of lesser production.
Though Arcia won the job out of camp, and got a contract extension as well, he’s been on the injured list for the past three weeks due to a microfracture in his left wrist. Grissom got the first shot at replacing him but is hitting just .258/.299/.274 this year and hasn’t looked great on defense. He’s made five errors already and is getting poor grades from the advanced defensive metrics. Adrianza has been serving in the backup role behind Grissom and Ozzie Albies in the middle infield, but with him now out of action as well, Shewmake will factor into the mix.
Atlanta is off to a tremendous 22-10 start this year but the shortstop situation is the least certain spot on the roster and it seems like it will take time before there’s any clarity. Grissom is struggling on both sides of the ball and Shewmake is just getting his first crack in the bigs with very little offensive success in the minors. They will likely be battling each other for future playing time until Arcia or Adrianza return. The former isn’t yet close as he’s only recently started swinging a bat, per David O’Brien of The Athletic, and likely won’t be available for a few more weeks.
As for Iglesias, he will be making his season debut whenever he gets into a game as he was diagnosed with shoulder inflammation in March and has been on the injured list all year so far. Acquired from the Angels at the deadline last year, he’s been one of the better relievers in the game in recent years. Since moving to relief work full-time in 2017, he has 151 saves and a 2.80 ERA in 370 innings, striking out 31.8% of batters faced.
ATL really should trade for Tim Anderson.
Welcome to the show Braden! Finally, a short stop prospect who can actually field…and hit. I say insert him at short and Grissom in left. Problem solved.
And hit? That’s very much TBD. He sure hasn’t excelled at the plate in the minors.
Shewmake is a better hitter than Grissom is a fielder. And right now, Vaughn’s bat (57 OPS+ in 19 games) isn’t worth enough displacing Rosario or even Ozuna. Shewmake’s had a good OBP throughout the minors, which would be great for this lineup that needs more tablesetters for the big boppers along with even close to average SS defense.
oh boy Ozuna?! He has bought himself some time it appears with 2 good games in Miami lol….He’s hanging on by the tiniest of threads, but I do hope he keeps it going and would put us over the top if so.
What do you mean bought himself time? If the Braves were going to release him, they would have done it by now.
haha, you were part of the herd that thought Grissom was a good prospect
lmao, these casuals always mock everything I try to teach them
Shewmake can’t hit and Grissome can’t hit at a Ml level either. Why would they put Grissom in left when there are 3 better options?
Up the middle defense! Grissom looks horrible each time the ball is hit his way. Even some of the routine plays have given him trouble and his throws to 1st are shaky sometimes. If Shewmake can steady the SS position defensively anything from the bat is a bonus. I like Vaughn and think he can be a decent utility guy but he is not a starting SS.
Wow, Braves fans have finally changed their tune about Grissom
Looks like I was right about Grissom not being a legitimate prospect
Hilarious how I was criticized by the latest hordes of casuals who thought Grissom would be a star
Adrianza, a victim of the mysterious but well-timed phantom inflammation injury.
Shewmake should get the starts at SS and Vaughn should move to the bench to be the infield backup/PH.
Shewmake….at last!
Routine grounder off Grissom’s shoe—make that an E6.
Shewmake makes that play off the shoe.
You make him sound like a Georgia peach cobbler.
Brooks Conrad is living in peace at last, knowing the blooper reel is getting a major update lately.
Anyone else remember his walk off slam against Cincinatti in 2010 to cap a 7 run 9th for the Braves?
Was that the homer that he thought was an out, so he didn’t see it go out?
Bhambrave lol same one.
If I remember correctly, they had to tell him to run the bases. I was half afraid he was going to head to the dugout.
Yep, I screamed at the top my lungs in my office at the time. Was listening on the app/radio.
Well, maybe he can play defense. Grissom has been ghastly in the field.
I miss Dansby
Shewmake looks like a defense only shortstop. He looks overpowered. I have a lot of doubts that guy will ever hit
There’s a reason they extended Arcia because none of these prospects (Grissom, Shewmake) are projected to stick
Oh but go ahead. I’m the idiot for saying Grissom isn’t a good prospect and now I’m the idiot for saying Shewmake won’t hit
It never ends with the clueless hordes online
There’s no reason to even comment online since hardly anybody knows what’s going on
All of a sudden Grissom is trash, just like I said he was a year ago, and now they’re all on board with my original assessment that they all mocked at first
Happens all the time, believe me
So glad we have you here to show us the way lol. Just like mj-2, you bring nothing but negativity and a lack of knowledge.
Only problem w/your comment AO is that the site won’t allow me to give it a hundred thumbs up.