The Braves announced Monday morning that they’ve designated outfielder Forrest Wall for assignment. His spot on the roster will go to infield prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr., whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Gwinnett to take the place of second baseman Ozzie Albies.
Albies, who suffered a fractured wrist this weekend is expected to miss up to eight weeks of action, has been placed on the 10-day IL for now. Alvarez’s promotion to the majors was first reported last night. Atlanta also formally announced its previously reported major league deal with veteran infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield and optioned outfielder Eli White to Gwinnett. The team’s 40-man roster is now full.
Wall, 28, got into 13 games with the Braves this season and hit .241/.313/.241 in a tiny sample of 32 plate appearances. He’s seen limited action on Atlanta’s big league roster in each of the past two seasons now, due in large part to his plus speed, but he went just 3-for-6 in stolen base attempts this season (after going 5-for-6 in a similar sample of playing time a year ago).
Wall has spent the bulk of the 2024 season in Gwinnett, where he’s put together a solid .279/.380/.411 slash with a big 12.1% walk rate but also a higher-than-average 25.1% strikeout rate. He posted a comparable .280/.372/.427 line with Gwinnett in 2023.
The Braves have used Wall at all three outfield spots in the majors, though the vast majority of his time has come in left field. He has ample experience at all three positions when factoring in his minor league time, and Wall also has more than 2100 innings at second base in his minor league career (though he’s not yet played the position in the majors).
Selected by the Rockies with the No. 35 overall draft pick back in 2014, Wall is a veteran of ten minor league seasons. The past two seasons with Atlanta represent his only MLB playing time to date. The lefty-swinging Wall is a lifetime .268/.354/.387 batter in just shy of 1500 Triple-A plate appearances. He’ll still have two minor league option years remaining beyond the current season. That could make him an intriguing pickup for a postseason contender who wants to utilize his 93rd percentile sprint speed down the stretch. He’s never been outrighted in the past and is well shy of three years of service, so if the Braves succeed in passing him through waivers, they’ll be able to retain him via an outright assignment back to Gwinnett and keep him as a depth option in the outfield.
One can hit the wall, but the wall could not hit.
Don’t understand the move with Wall. Keeping Eli White and Luke Williams instead? Wall has more options and is a left handed bat.
Already optioned White to Gwinnett
Optioning doesn’t remove a player from 40 man roster like DFA. I would keep Wall and DFA White.
Both would have a high % chance of making it through unclaimed and neither would be a big loss, so it doesn’t really matter. That being said, I would very much have preferred exposing White over Wall as well.
White is hitting a little better this year, but he has had a far bigger sample size in the majors and his 55 career ops+ is just not good. He is obviously an elite player to make it to the majors as that is no easy task, but he is well below average for a MLB’er.
Wall, at the least, is the fastest guy on the field most days. Good guy to have stashed to pinch run if nothing else. I would expect someone wouldn’t mind claiming him.
Can’t see the Forrest through the Wall.
Would love to see White Sox pickup Wall if available. The guy is only 27 & hasn’t been a complete flop ar all. Can’t be worst than Sheets.
Dude he’s been a professional for 10 years and still can’t hit his way out of a paper bag, other than a moderate walk-taking streak that won’t translate into MLB. And he’s an unplayable defender.
His career OPS+ is 125. That is solid. It is a ridiculously small sample size to be certain, but you cannot say he hasn’t proven himself to be worth a shot. His 58 OPS+ this year is not good, but hthat is in 32 plate appearances. If he went 3 for 4 with a double and a homer his OPS+ would come up to near league average that sample size is so small.
He is definitely worth a look and is still young enough in service time to be cheap for a few years.
Unplayable defender? And Sheets is? The experiment with Sheets needs to be over. And its not like Sox will be contending anytime soon, so why not besides your view.
I’d rather keep Wall than Laureano.
Would have kept Wall over Laureano, Williams and White. At least Wall would give you a pinch running option in the playoffs.
Laureano isn’t playing badly, but I would certainly agree on Williams and White.
This is a prime example how hard it is to get to and remain on a MLB roster.
From HS to PROs is a difficult road
A true White Sox bargain buy.
All these injuries will hopefullly reshape the team next season. Trade Albies and let Fried walk. Get rid of Duvall
All in all it’s just another brick in the wall.