Spring training is just a month away, and though there will be acquisitions before (and possibly after) pitchers and catchers report, this series will take a look at the players mostly likely to suit up at each level of the organization.
With the young Ozzie Albies ensconced at second in the majors and likely to hold the position down for the next five years the need for a major prospect is not urgent, but there are some interesting talents in the lower rungs of the organizational ladder.
Also in this series:
First Base | Third Base | Shortstop | Catcher | Centerfield | Corner Outfield | Starting Pitcher
ATLANTA BRAVES
STARTER: Ozzie Albies
In many ways, Albies’s first full season in the majors was a triumph. At the tender age of 21, Albies finished 6th in the majors in fWAR among second basemen, launched 24 home runs, played sterling defense at second base, and made the National League All-Star team. However, a lot of Albies’s season production was fueled by a hot start that saw him hit 9 home runs in March and April. It was unlikely that he would be able to maintain that level of production, but a good chunk of the second half of the season was spent in an offensive funk.
His struggles mostly derived from trouble with his left-handed swing, and he was exceptionally vulnerable against pitches inside. This will be an adjustment that will be worth watching for this spring. Given Albies youth and baseball I.Q. he should be able to adjust in time. Regardless, the Braves have in Albies a dynamic player who has yet to scratch the surface of his potential.
Back-up: The signing of third baseman Josh Donaldson allows Johan Camargo to take the super-utility role that many had envisioned for him. Expect Camargo to see plenty of time at second base this season, not only filling in for Albies when he needs a break (or perhaps against very difficult right-handed pitchers), but also when shortstop Dansby Swanson is out of the line-up; the Braves have indicated that Albies could slide to shortstop with Camargo playing second base. Second base is also likely Charlie Culberson‘s best defensive position as well.
GWINNETT STRIPERS (CLASS AAA)
STARTER: Andres Blanco
Signed as a minor league free agent in December after a strong stint with Milwaukee’s AAA affiliate in Colorado Springs in 2018 (.271/.362/.435, 9 home runs), Blanco had a four-year run playing with the Phillies on the bench, and the 34-year-old has a strong reputation as a positive clubhouse influence. Blanco split his time in Colorado Springs between all four infield positions, mostly at third base, but the presence of prospect Austin Riley will shift him to second base or first.
Back-up: In the first base preview I tabbed Sean Kazmar as the starter at first with Blanco as his back-up, but it’s quite possible it could be reversed, with Blanco playing first and Kazmar second. Either shortstop option on the team, Pedro Florimon or Luis Marte, could also slide to second base as needed. There’s also reserve infielder Luis Valenzuela, who seems due for a promotion after two solid seasons at Mississippi.
MISSISSIPPI BRAVES (CLASS AA)
STARTER: Alejandro Salazar
After coming up as a shortstop, the Braves elected to use Salazar all over the infield at Florida in 2018, but he settled in at second base after a late-season promotion to Mississippi. Last year saw Salazar regain some of the offensive promise he demonstrated in rookie ball and on the 2016 Rome team, with his best production coming in his 54-game stretch with Mississippi, hitting .301/.330/.355. Salazar has good range, hands, and a strong arm and his biggest weakness at shortstop, his throwing accuracy, is mitigated by playing him at second base. Salazar is an extremely aggressive hitter with solid bat-to-ball skills, and it’s not out of the realm that like Johan Camargo before him he blossoms at the AA level with pitchers that can more reliably put the ball in or around the strike zone.
Back-up: Daniel Lockhart seems likely to return to the team this year in the same role as last year, filling in all over the diamond wherever there’s a hole. Minor league Rule 5 draftee Riley Unroe could also play a role here as well.
.
FLORIDA FIRE FROGS (CLASS A+)
STARTER: Derian Cruz
This will be a critical season for Cruz, a high-profile international signing from 2015 that has yet to find his way at the plate. Cruz seemed to be putting things together late in the season at Rome in 2018 (.302/.339/.358 over his final three weeks), and that may be enough for the Braves to give him the push up to the advanced-A level. Cruz will be playing the entire 2019 season as a 20-year-old, so there is a real danger of “prospect fatigue” with Cruz when far less talented players have found their game in their 4th or 5th years in the minors. The tools the Braves saw in 2015 are all still there, but it’s time for Cruz to get them into games more consistently.
Back-up: Last season the Fire Frogs mixed and matched at second base for most of the season, with Marcus Mooney, Jordan Rodgers, and Kevin Josephina all getting time at the position. There will likely be a battle among those three to see who gets what will likely be two bench spots. Mooney and Rodgers are experienced college players, with Mooney the better defender at second and Rodgers the better offensive pedigree. Josephina has more tools than either but is defensively suspect.
ROME BRAVES (CLASS A)
STARTER: Greg Cullen
There is a case to be made for Cruz remaining at Rome to start the season and pushing the older Cullen, a 15th-round pick in 2018 out of Niagara University and the reigning NCAA Division I batting champion, up to Florida. At this time I think it more likely that Cruz moves up, but it may be close to a coin flip. Cullen had a solid pro debut with Danville in 2018, hitting .280/.373/.396 and carrying the team from an offensive standpoint towards the end of the season when outfielder Andrew Moritz was hurt and hitters like C.J. Alexander, Justin Dean, and A.J. Graffanino were promoted. Cullen is a polished hitter with some power potential that he could possibly tap into with some swing modifications.
Back-up: The Braves could elect to bring infielder Braulio Vasquez up from the GCL Braves. Vazquez had a bit of a break-out season in 2018 from the power department, and he also seemed to find himself defensively at second base after spending prior seasons on the left side of the diamond. If they chose to keep Vasquez in extended spring training, Rome could turn to the multi-positional Michael Mateja or 2018 Rome and Danville reserve Luis Mejia.
Second Base Depth Chart
- Ozzie Albies
- Johan Camargo
- Charlie Culberson
- Andres Blanco
- Luis Valenzuela
- Sean Kazmar
- Alejandro Salazar
- Daniel Lockhart
- Riley Unroe
- Derian Cruz
- Marcus Mooney
- Jordan Rodgers
- Kevin Josephina
- Greg Cullen
- Braulio Vasquez
- Michael Mateja
- Luis Mejia
Leave a Reply