3 reasons the Braves chose Vaughn Grissom over Dansby Swanson
By Mark Powell
Age is an advantage for Braves, Vaughn Grissom
Dansby Swanson is 28 years old, meaning the Cubs will be paying him until he’s 35. That’s not a contract the Braves wanted to sign up for, and it’s understandable.
While Swanson did have a breakout season in 2022, it was his first All-Star campaign, and arguably his only above-average offensive season…ever? The advanced statistics don’t recommend a long-term, high AAV contract for Dansby. Yet, the Cubs gave him one anyway after missing out on several of the top-tier shortstops in free agency.
Swanson has only had one above-average full-season year with the bat -- 115 OPS+ in 2022 -- but some of the underlying metrics do show a player who has learned how to square up the ball in meaningful ways. pic.twitter.com/rbCxi5w8e5
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) December 17, 2022
Assuming Grissom can tap into some of that athleticism, the drop-off from a guy like Swanson likely won’t be as severe as some fans are expecting from the jump. This is especially true if the Braves allow Grissom to develop, possibly even starting him in a platoon role with Orlando Arcia.
Grissom could blossom into the player AA envisions him to be, but at 21 years old, he has plenty of time to get there. That’s the benefit of going younger. Atlanta has a capable core of veterans around Grissom.
As the team matures and gets better, so will a player like Grissom.