The Atlanta Braves have received some incredible performances from most of their offseason acquisitions so far. Some started hot, but have come back down to earth. However, some have simply continued to perform at a high level.
Utility man Mauricio Dubon is one of those players. He was always going to play multiple positions for the Braves. However, Ha-Seong Kim's injury allowed him to show off his talent in an everyday role early on at shortstop.
He's played exceptional defense in the infield and outfield. Not only that, but he has also been a very nice surprise at the plate. It wasn't hard to clear the production Nick Allen provided offensively, but Dubon has done that and more.
Mauricio Dubon's improbable season should be rewarded with a contract extension
Dubon is currently slashing .259/.315/.401 over 67 games, with 13 doubles, six homers, 37 RBI, and a .716 OPS. This is much better than his time with the Astros last year. He is one homer away from matching his total of seven homers, and just four away from his career-high of 10.
This success is indicated by his incredible whiff and strikeout rates, but Dubon does need to work on improving his walk rate and chase rate if he wants to take things to the next level. He's hit breaking pitches very well. However, the main issue for him has been fastballs and changeups. He has a .225 average against fastballs and a .111 average against changeups. If Dubon improves against these pitches, he could be unstoppable.
Dubon's defense continues to be Gold Glove worthy with an 8 outs above average (OAA) overall and 5 defensive runs saved (5) in the outfield. His DRS sits at 0 when playing the infield so far. Dubon also has great arm strength and range to go along with that.
No one could have expected him to perform so well for the Braves. The team should 100% be looking at giving him an extension with the team. Great utility players are hard to come by. Dubon is truly a Swiss Army Knife.
Dubon seems to fit in well within the clubhouse as well. With Kim's underperformance at shortstop this season, it's hard not to look at Dubon as a stopgap option until one of Atlanta's top shortstop prospects is ready to take the reins.
At the moment, Dubon is currently on a one-year deal worth $6.1 million. It could make sense for Atlanta to pursue something in the realm of a two-year, $16 million extension with Dubon. That seems very reasonable for a player who provides as much value as he does.
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