With Mauricio Dubon and Ha-seong Kim both free agents, the Atlanta Braves are once again in the market for a shortstop. Dubon exceeded every reasonable expectation last season; he's not necessarily out of Atlanta's price range, but a utilityman of his caliber will have suitors lined up around the block. As such, the Braves need to line up their contingency plans. One option is to push their chips in for a proper star at the six.
"If they aren't able to retain [Dubon], the trade market is something [Atlanta] should and will explore," wrote FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray in a recent Reddit AMA. Several such trade candidates exist. Here is how the Braves can address a position of need and bolster their World Series odds come 2027.
This Braves-Astros trade proposal lands Jeremy Pena in Atlanta
With the Dec. 1 lockout around the corner, the Houston Astros probably missed the boat on a godfather Jeremy Pena return. His contract expires after the 2027 season, which will almost certainly be cut short. That said, he's still an established All-Star at a premium position. Pena is an imperfect player, but he turns an aggressive plate approach into plenty of power and production near the top of the lineup. Pena hit .277 with 22 homers and 12 stolen bases last season; he will put the ball in play and burn rubber.
Pena's defensive metrics took a hit in 2026, but he's historically a very solid defender at the six, with a Gold Glove in his trophy cabinet. Pena's aggression at the plate can get the best of him — he has a maddening tendency to chase, with an inflated 2026 strikeout rate to show for it — but 29-year-old shortstops who can hit for average and power, with plus speed and respectable defense, don't grow on trees.
The Braves sacrifice a controllable pitcher in Grant Holmes, who can eat innings as a No. 4ish starter in a barren Astros rotation. Alex Lodise, a 22-year-old shortstop whom Atlanta selected in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft, offers a balanced skill set with the potential to move quickly through the Astros farm system. He could replace Pena within a year or two.
This Braves-Marlins trade proposal lands Otto Lopez in Atlanta
The Miami Marlins probably aren't keen on trading Otto Lopez within the division. Then again, the Marlins don't do business like every other team. Lopez's value has reached its peak and there's an opportunity for Miami to continue its perpetual kicking of the can down the road. Lopez led the National League in hits last season and finished 13th in MVP voting, despite a quiet second half. He's a Gold Glove-caliber defender with an extremely polished hit tool, which the Braves could use.
There are some throwback elements to Lopez's game that aren't always appreciated in the modern era. He's not a huge power threat and he prefers to turn and burn, with a low 5.8 percent walk rate. When you can flirt with a .300 average and steal 30-plus bags, however, such shortcomings are easy to forgive. Especially when Lopez plays such a fundamentally sound brand of baseball.
Atlanta needs help with run prevention as much as anything else, while Lopez's incredible contact skills ought to play well in front of aggressive boppers like Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin. The cost: two minor league shortstops in Tate Southisene and John Gil, plus an 18-year-old fireballer in Jensen Hirschkorn, who could develop into a top-end rotation piece with the right guidance from Miami's development staff. Lopez is under club control through 2029, so he offers Atlanta some much-needed stability.
This Braves-Angels trade proposal lands Zach Neto in Atlanta
Like Otto Lopez, Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto comes with three more years of control, the lockout-shortened 2027 season included. The Angels are in full rebuild mode and Neto is their most valuable asset, give or take ball-knower favorite Reid Detmers. Neto has his flaws — primarily on the defensive end — but he adds an element of speed and power the Braves would benefit from.
Neto finished this past season with 27 homers and 24 stolen bases, his third straight 20-20 campaign since becoming a full-time major leaguer. The strikeout numbers are grave and Neto is a seriously problematic defender, so the Braves need to weigh the downside. That said, he knows how to pull and elevate as a hitter, and the speed is game-breaking at times. He's also 25, so there's room for growth with a strong Braves development staff.
The Angels won't let him go for cheap. Former first-round pitcher J.R. Ritchie struggled in his first taste of MLB action last season, but he's 23 years old, with a highly effective curveball-sinker combo that generates frequent groundball contact. The Angels also snag infielder Tate Southisene (a potential Neto replacement) and southpaw Briggs McKenzie, two 20-year-olds ranked top 10 in the Braves farm system at MLB Pipeline.
This Braves-Nationals trade proposal lands CJ Abrams in Atlanta
CJ Abrams' name has circulated the rumor mill for about a year now, but the Washington Nationals refused to relinquish the uber-talented infielder in the middle of a breakout season. Abrams finally put his full skills package on display in 2026, with 33 homers and 34 stolen bases to complement a career-best .834 OPS. With Abrams' size, speed and athleticism, he just looks the part of a superstar shortstop. Now down to two years of club control, including the soon-to-be-truncated 2027 campaign, Washington and Abrams are at a crossroads.
The Nationals have ceded so much star power to division rivals over the years, so why stop now? The Braves have the right mix of talented young pitchers to pique Washington's interest. Abrams is undeniably talented, but his profile is not without drawbacks. He has a high strikeout rate and a low walk rate, and he's up there with the worst defensive shortstops in MLB. Washington actually demoted Abrams to second base late in the season, although Atlanta would hope he can spruce up his defensive profile with a change of scenery. Abrams certainly does not lack the tools to be an elite defender, so it comes down to fundamental execution, which can always improve. In theory.
Washington can still command a haul. Didier Fuentes debuted for the Braves at 20 years old in 2025. He struggled as a starter, but he broke out in a high-leverage bullpen role last season. The Nationals would probably explore stretching Fuentes back out as a starter, but if he ends up as the spearhead of their bullpen, so be it. The Nationals bullpen was a disaster last season and Fuentes won't become a free agent until 2031. Lefty Cam Caminiti, meanwhile, is Atlanta's top-ranked pitching prospect. He needs more seasoning in the minors, but he flashed potential top-of-rotation stuff with a 2.01 ERA in six Double-A starts.
This Braves-Reds trade proposal lands Elly De La Cruz in Atlanta
This is the pipe dream, and frankly, it's probably not realistic. The Braves farm system is good, but it's not elite — and there are teams with elite farm systems who'd pay top dollar in prospect terms to acquire a marketable 24-year-old superstar like Elly De La Cruz.
Atlanta's best bet to get in on the De La Cruz sweepstakes is probably a package built around 26-year-old pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach. Unfortunately, Schwelly's breakout 2025 season — with a 3.09 ERA and 3.25 FIP across 17 starts — was cut short by Tommy John surgery. He did not pitch at all in 2026 and he could start 2027 on the IL; Schwellenbach only has one extra year of club control, too, meaning he could end up in trade talks as soon as De La Cruz's contract expires in 2029.
Still, Schwellenbach is a worthy upside bet, with elite command and a killer splitter to play off his fastball. The Cincinnati Reds would also need several top prospects to sweeten the pot. Southisene, Atlanta's top-ranked infield prospect, pops up again, as he's a logical long-term replacement for any star shortstop. Outfielder AJ Garcia, Atlanta's 2026 first-round pick, and right-hander Jensen Hirschkorn, their 2026 third-round pick, offer substantial upside down the road.
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