The Atlanta Braves made a depth move, claiming Joe Dunand from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.
The Atlanta Braves acquired utility infielder, Joe Dunand, off waivers from the Miami Marlins.
The #Braves today claimed INF Joe Dunand off waivers from the Miami Marlins and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. The club also transferred C Manny Piña to the 60-day injured list.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 1, 2022
Dunand (26) will head to Gwinnett, while Manny Piña was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room.
Dunand made his major league debut with the Miami Marlins this year. He appeared in 3 games, totaling 11 plate appearances, hitting .300/.364/.700 with 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI, a .453 wOBA, and 198 wRC+. Impressive, albeit a very small sample size.
Through 5 minor league seasons with Miami, Dunand hit .236/.309/.367 with 30 HR, 148 R, and 157 RBI. The former 2nd round pick from North Carolina St would finally make his major league debut on May 7th, where he would make a quick impact.
Joe Dunand homers in his first big league at bat! https://t.co/2cWSZzqg2I
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 8, 2022
Throughout the minors, Dunand has played all four infield positions. However, in recent years, he has primarily played second base or third base in the Marlins system. The ability to play multiple defensive positions makes him value as a depth piece in any organization.
If anything were to happen to one of the Braves infield starters, Dunand could be called on to fill the void. He will provide a similar role to that of Orlando Arcia.
Another interesting fact about Dunand is that he is actually the nephew of former major leaguer, Alex Rodríguez. Maybe A-Rod will provide some tips that will help Joe Dunand stick to the major leagues.
It is a move mostly for depth. Can never have too much depth in the organization.