Braves continue to stockpile infield depth this offseason after latest signing

For Atlanta Braves fans, any news is welcome at this point. The Braves have been quiet thus far this offseason beyond their early offseason payroll purge and Alex Anthopoulos has been extremely tight-lipped as to the team's plans.

While there is a chance the Braves just do nothing of consequence and will deserve ire for it, the most likely outcome is that Atlanta will make a move or two that few see coming until the team announces it. Regardless of what they do, the idea that the Braves are not in a good position going into next season remains a silly one.

That doesn't mean that they don't need to create depth when the opportunity arises and that is exactly what they did when they signed infielder Eddy Alvarez to a minor league deal.

Braves sign Eddy Alvarez to MiLB as they continue to bolster their infield

Don't get too excited, Braves fans, as this is pretty strictly a minor league depth move with a bit of upside. Alvarez has previously seen time in the big leagues with the Marlins, Dodgers, and Mets and sports a .501 OPS in 153 plate appearances in the majors. If you are looking for a likely Orlando Arcia replacement, the soon-to-be 35 years old and light hitting Alvarez probably isn't it.

However, the Braves have a number of infielders on the 40-man of questionable value at the moment. The team clearly wants to have some options available to them in spring training from an infield depth perspective which is why they traded for Nick Allen earlier in the offseason and added to their "in the dirt" options in the Rule 5 Draft.

None of these guys stand out as favorites for significant playing time at the moment. However, by bringing these guys like Alvarez into camp, they can get a better sense of who they want to rely upon in the event of injuries. Given how last season went, having strong backup plans in place seems like a pretty great idea.

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