The Atlanta Braves organization officially signed a second baseman. But, not in the capacity that some of us may have hoped.
Former Blue Jay Devon Travis has been signed as a minor league coach for the GCL Braves, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitutional. It is not yet stated exactly what role he will play, but we do know it is not the manager, hitting coach, and obviously not the pitching coach.
Devon Travis will not be bolstering the bench of the major league club as some of us may have been hoping, but he is going to hopefully bolster the organization as a whole with his coaching and mentorship.
This most likely signifies the end of his playing days, so let’s look at his resume of what he did as a player, and the type of skills he can help with.
New Atlanta Braves organization member Travis showed tremendous promise as an offensive first second baseman
Travis, a former top 100 prospect, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2012 in the 13th round. It did not take long for him to burst into the big leagues. He was traded to the Blue Jays in 2014 and made his debut with a bang in 2015.
Some of you who play fantasy baseball surely remember him because he probably helped save your season. In 62 games in 2015, he hit to a very good 131 OPS+, which in case you are not familiar with that stat, means his On Base plus Slugging was approximately 31 percent better than the league average.
He was never a defensive darling, having a negative Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) every year he played but was not awful. Travis accumulated -7 DRS in 2,623.2 innings of defense.
In his 316 games played, over 4 seasons he slashed a .274/.314/.751, which equates to a 101 OPS+. These numbers may seem pretty league average because they are. However, you can see a quick decline that was obviously due to injury.
Travis ended up having surgery on both knees and his shoulder. He could never really recover. You hate to see guys with such tremendous potential get their careers cut short due to something largely out of their control.
Recap Time!
So, a quick recap of his resume:
• Top 100 Prospect
• Great offensive rookie campaign with a 131 OPS+
• His strength is more offensive than defensive with negative DRS
• Injuries most likely ended his career, not his unhindered skill
Travis seems to be a very personable guy, which could lead to real potential in the coaching rankings. If his potential as a player can also translate into helping player development, it could be a solid win-win situation for not only the GCL Braves but future Atlanta Braves.
Good luck Devon Travis in your new adventure. We are all rooting for you!