Atlanta Braves prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. wasn't a well-known name until he made his MLB debut last season. He was called up when Ozzie Albies fractured his wrist last July. Unfortunately, he didn't have a good time and was soon replaced by Whit Merrifield.
Alvarez finished the 2024 season at Triple-A Gwinnett and impressed with a .297 average over 64 games. 2025 started off with an injury for Atlanta's third-best prospect, and he didn't start playing in games until June.
Alvarez got another shot at the majors when Austin Riley injured his abdominal muscles. His bat wasn't anything special, but he flashed the leather with some nice defense at the hot corner over eight games. However, once Riley was ready to return, there was no place left for Alvarez on the active roster.
Braves prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. playing second base for the first time down in the minors may spell bad news for Ozzie Albies
Alvarez has played at third base the entire time for the Stripers since he returned from injury. However, he was surprisingly placed at second base for Saturday's game for the first time this season. It has led to speculation that this could have implications for Albies' future with the Braves.
Of note here, this is Nacho Alvarez’s first appearance at second base at any level this season. https://t.co/BN1ktlAcaz
— Matt Chrietzberg (@BravesMattC) July 26, 2025
Does this mean Atlanta is on the cusp of trading Albies at the trade deadline, and they want Alvarez to be prepared to take over? It's certainly possible.
Now, while this creates some speculation and shows the team may be preparing to move on from Albies at some point. Whether it's via trade or in the offseason. The main issue with a trade is what value would he return in a trade?
Albies has struggled heavily this season and is underperforming almost all of his advanced metrics. It's been really hard to watch on a daily basis. There is still value as his defense has been good with a 1 OAA and 2 DRS.
A trade seems less likely unless the team gets good value in return. If they choose to decline his affordable $7 million option in the offseason, they'll owe him $4 million. At that point, keeping Albies makes sense as he's a great leader in the clubhouse and when he's at his best, one of the most dangerous bats in the lineup.
It's going to be a tough decision, and losing another fan favorite would stink. There are a lot of reasons to like Albies, but it feels like the Nacho Alvarez era may be starting sooner rather than later.