The 2026 Atlanta Braves will have four solid to elite outfielders needing to fill just three outfield spots. Thanks to the DH spot being open, Jurickson Profar, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Mike Yastrzemski should have no issues covering the corners and sharing time at DH, with Michael Harris II covering center field.
However, the club's X-factor might be their fifth outfielder, Eli White, who should actually benefit from the Braves filling out their outfield.
Eli White looks to be Braves X-factor in 2026
Last season, thanks to injuries, a PED suspension, and some frankly horrendous outfield replacement options, White managed to stick around on the big league roster the entire season. He was thrust into more playing time than anyone could have foreseen just thanks to his bat not being as bad as Alex Verdugo, Jarred Kelenic, or Bryan De La Cruz's. For the season, his 84 wRC+ still rated as below average.
However, White certainly was not put in the best spot to succeed. The speedy outfielder's strength is not his bat, though it did carry the Braves to victory in the Speedway Classic, but rather his speed and defensive versatility.
White stole 10 bases on 11 chances, and actually finished third on the team in stolen bases, though that was not one of the Braves strengths last season. Additionally, White put up 4 DRS and 3 OAA in the outfield last season in 574 innings, while also providing above-average defense with his arm.
With the way Atlanta is built, they hopefully won't need to lean on White for 270 plate appearances like they did last year. However, this doesn't mean White will be glued to the bench.
Even with Antoan Richardson's baserunning expertise, the Braves will still enter 2026 as a fairly slow team. Jurickson Profar, Sean Murphy, Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson, and Mike Yastrzemski all rate as below average in sprint speed. With White being more of a fixture on the bench, the speedester gives new manager Walt Weiss an elite pinch-runner in late games.
Although White wouldn't be able to replace the catchers defensively, he would be able to replace anyone he runs for, as he not only provides excellent defense in the outfield, but has shown he can play infield, including making great stops at first base, if he needs to.
The Braves lost an ugly number of one-run games last season, games where a defensive play or a faster runner could've made the difference. With Eli White placed in the right spots, the Braves can avoid the same blunders they made last year.