Should the Atlanta Braves even consider trading Ender Inciarte?

The Braves have an opportunity to have one of the best outfields in all of baseball over the next couple of years, with prospects lurking at almost all levels. According to some, however, they also have an opportunity to trade away one already familiar face in an effort to gain either prospects or an established pitcher.

I’m going to put this idea to rest right away: The Atlanta Braves should not trade Ender Inciarte. In fact, if I’m John Coppolella, I’m hanging up the phone the minute another GM asks about him. At just 26 years-old, Inciarte is just now entering his prime, and will only get better in the coming years.

The Braves have Inciarte under contract through 2021 with a team option for 2022, his age-31 season. From now until then, he’ll cost the Braves anywhere from $4.7 million to $9 million a year. That’s a reasonable price range for a decent MLB outfielder, but we’re not just talking about a decent outfielder. Ender Inciarte is elite, and he’s quite possibly the best overall centerfielder in the National League.

In terms of current contracts, Inciarte is cheaper than an offensively similar, yet inferior Kevin Kiermaier, who’s making an average of $8.9 million per year through 2023, and $10 million or more for the last 4 years of his contract. Ender’s making an average of $6.1 million per year through 2022.

The value of Inciarte’s defense

There isn’t an outfielder in the National League that is a better all-around defender than Ender Inciarte. No matter how you evaluate defense, he’s the best there is in the NL. Period. He’s found himself near-or-on-top-of outfielder leaderboards for putouts, assists, fielding percentage, Range Factor, out-of-zone plays, and even double plays over the past two years.

To put Ender’s defense into perspective, here’s a comparison of his defensive WAR up against two of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball’s history:

Fans drooled over Andruw Jones‘ defense, and Willie Mays won 12 straight Gold Gloves, so Ender’s defensive ability is in pretty good company. I wouldn’t say that Ender is a Jones/Mays type defender in every aspect, but his dWAR is one indication that it’s certainly within reason to rank his defense up near some of the game’s best.

And we haven’t even taken his bat into consideration..

Ender can swing it!

The Atlanta Braves haven’t had a player collect 200 hits since Marquis Grissom did so in 1996. Ender Inciarte is on pace for 211 this year. That’s more than noteworthy when considering that our beloved Chipper Jones never even eclipsed the 200-hit plateau.

Ender’s not just getting hits though. He ranks in the top 5 among MLB leadoff hitters in runs, hits, batting average, on-base percentage, stolen bases, and runs created. He’s excelling in all the categories a leadoff guy needs to, and I’d trust him to bat almost anywhere else in the lineup.

As guys like Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson and Ronald Acuña establish themselves as solid MLB players, having a guy like Inciarte becomes even more of a perk. With certain guys settling into certain roles with the team, Ender’s versatility will allow him to bat elsewhere in the lineup, and likely even move over to right field to allow a speedy Acuña to patrol center.

You don’t get a dynamic player like Ender Inciarte for the price the Braves have him at very often. He’s under contract through most of what we hope will be his prime, and he’s the type of player that could play near his ceiling throughout his early-to-mid-30’s, if not further.

Trade Ender Inciarte? Heavens, no. Take advantage of his All-Star, Gold Glove caliber play, and bask in the glory of having such a player at a discounted price?

Next: Reviewing the minors

Yessir. Ender Inciarte is a huge part of the future of the Atlanta Braves, and should be as untouchable as Freddie Freeman. In fact, Inciarte is set to be a part of one of the best outfields in Atlanta Braves history.