It's no secret that the Atlanta Braves are extremely thin at the shortstop position. Nick Allen has been a revelation defensively for the Braves, but his offense leaves a lot to be desired. Atlanta will have to figure things out in the offseason and decide how to address their need for a more well-rounded middle infielder.
However, the MLB Draft also provides the opportunity to improve the organizational depth at the position. Atlanta's first pick was prep shortstop Tate Southisene, who the Braves seem very high on.
The issue with Southisene is that he's young and will need some time to develop before he is MLB-ready. Atlanta is aware of that and decided to double up on shortstops with their second pick in the draft. The Braves selected FSU infielder Alex Lodise with the 60th overall pick.
Braves select Golden Spikes finalist Alex Lodise in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft
Lodise had an impressive season with the Seminoles, and he was ranked as the 43rd-best MLB Draft prospect. He was also named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award alongside Wehiwa Aloy and Liam Doyle. He was a first-round talent, and it's a little shocking he was available for the Braves.
He is an impact bat, and it showed in 2025 as he slashed .394/.462/.705 with 17 homers, 18 doubles, and 68 RBI over 58 games. Lodise was awarded the Dick Howser Trophy, which is given to the National Player of the Year. The 21-year-old also won ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Lodise has been able to improve over the years and hits the ball to all fields. Like every prospect, he has some things to improve, such as cutting down on chasing pitches out of the zone. This is something Atlanta will look to develop, and Lodise has the right makeup to succeed at the big league level.
On defense, Lodise is pretty good. MLB.com states he can sometimes struggle with routine plays, but that it's "something that can be improved with more reps and instructions. However, he's very good on the move and throwing from different angles."
Lodise has all the tools to be a successful MLB shortstop. All the Braves have to do is help him develop those skills so he can be an impact player for many years to come.