3 free agent contracts Braves should’ve matched this offseason
By Mark Powell
Braves can still swing for Jose Iglesias
Atlanta seems determined to replace Dansby Swanson from within, as Alex Anthopoulos stated he’s confident in both Orlando Arcia and Vaughn Grissom. However, there are some clear flaws in that plan.
First, Swanson is coming off a career season. The Braves now have an obvious hole in the middle of their lineup.
Arcia is a capable defender, but by no means an everyday shortstop. He’s simply not the kind of player you want in the lineup day in and day out. Grissom, meanwhile, is unproven. Even Anthopoulos is unsure if he can carry the load defensively, though Ron Washington’s work with him this offseason has helped. Grissom may one day become a solid shortstop, but for now he’s a position-less player who hasn’t proven himself.
Enter Jose Iglesias. Iglesias was one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball in his prime. He’s lost a step, but remains capable. At the plate, Iglesias is coming off a respectable campaign, in which he slashed .292/.328/.380 in 118 games. The slugging percentage is relatively weak, but he’s not known as a power hitter at this stage of his career. Even at Coors Field, Iglesias hit just three home runs in 2022.
Iglesias would be a decent stopgap at the shortstop position while Grissom adjusts to the majors. A 100+ game stint in Atlanta on a one-year deal makes a lot of sense.