The lockout continues, and… I don’t even want to talk about it. I’m hoping it won’t interfere with the start of the season, but things continue to feel melancholy around the situation, given that the two sides haven’t even had a meaningful conversation in over a month. But eventually, this tone-deaf arguing between millionaires and billionaires will come to an end, and the Braves will be among the most active teams in the league in an attempt to fill numerous holes.
Many of them will come via free agency, but this might be the year Alex Anthopoulos finally pulls the trigger on a game-changing offseason trade. It’s yet to happen since he became the general manager, but with the Braves right in the thick of their championship window, there’s no better time than now. Atlanta has several valued prospects that would intrigue opposing teams, but which is the most likely to start next season in a new organization?
The Athletic’s MLB staff recently got together to give their best guess for each team, and the Braves’ selection is exactly who I thought it might be, William Contreras. Here is an excerpt from the piece:
William Contreras could be traded to a team looking for a young catcher with significant MLB experience and six more seasons before free agency (he won’t be eligible for arbitration until 2025, barring a change in rules).
Before the signing of Manny Piña, I thought Contreras was one of the more unlikely candidates to be moved. The Braves had no clear backup behind Travis d’Arnaud, and Contreras showed some promise at the plate in Atlanta before being demoted to Gwinnett, where he was excellent with the stick.
But after the signing of Piña, it looks like Contreras’ days with the Braves organization are numbered. d’Arnaud and Piña are now both under contract through the 2023 season at least, and Shea Langeliers should be ready by then as well, who might be the Braves’ best overall prospect.
I’m fairly confident Contreras will figure it out in the bigs and become a slugger at the plate, but I think the biggest issue the Braves had with him is his defense behind the plate. He really struggled as a backstop in the bigs, which could severely hinder his value to the club. Still, he could be used as a cornerstone piece in a significant trade once the lockout ends if the Braves decide to go in that direction.
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