At this point, it is fair to wonder if the Atlanta Braves will ever get their money's worth out of Austin Riley again. Riley's extension was a no-brainer back in 2022 given his performance, but it certainly has not aged well at all. In recent years, Riley’s production plummeted as injuries and mechanical issues savaged his swing and his timing.
In an ideal world, Riley would come into camp in 2027 and look like his former self, because that would mean the Braves don't have to do anything else except let him go out there and get to work. However, there is little indication a resurgence is coming from him, so Atlanta would do well to start evaluating their backup plans.
Here are the prospects the Braves could target in trades that could serve as insurance against another Austin Riley collapse
The Braves do have some internal options that, in theory, could work at third base if Atlanta does end up moving on from Riley in the near future. Prospects Alex Lodise, John Gil, or even Tate Southisene could shift to third base if need be, though nothing can be guaranteed to work with players this young and inexperienced.
Alternatively, the Braves' front office could look at external candidates. Looking at the pool of free agents, Teruaki Sato would be an exciting choice, but there is next to no chance a Japanese star of his caliber will sign in Atlanta if history is any indication. The other free-agent option is Alex Bohm, who has given the Braves fits over the years, but who is also famously inconsistent on both sides of the ball.
The Braves' best option may be to look to the prospect ranks in trade talks. The Pirates are a team that is on the rise and one that is probably looking for more immediate help, so perhaps they could be convinced to part ways with Murf Gray, although he still needs at least another year in the minors before he is likely to be ready.
Going after Jefferson Rojas or Xavier Neyens is a pipe dream, as the Mets won’t help Atlanta with anything, and the Astros don't have the prospect depth to part with a top bat like Neyens. However, if the Braves are willing to wait, maybe the White Sox would be willing to include Cole Prosek in the right kind of deal that allowed Chicago to address a short-term need. Hell, the Dodgers seem to have little regard for their prospect depth, so maybe they would part with Chase Harlan.
If all of those sound like imperfect solutions, that is because they are. Over the next two years, the acceptable alternatives for the Braves at third base are few and far between. Alex Anthopoulos is going to have to get creative to address the position if Riley continues to falter, because the end of his tenure with the Braves might be coming sooner than anyone wanted.
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