4 players that the Braves need to trade this offseason to improve their roster
By Eric Cole
Jared Shuster
When the Braves selected Shuster in the first round of the 2020 draft, the hope was that the gains he had showed with his fastball would hold so that his plus changeup would play up as a pro. Shuster would make it through the minor leagues very quickly and make his major league debut this season with the Braves where he has made nine total starts over a few different stints in the big leagues.
It doesn't seem to make much sense trade a young, controllable pitcher with big league experience given the Braves' perceived offseason needs, but Shuster doesn't seem to be a fit with the Braves. His fastball has some real questions and while his changeup has been as good as advertised, he has failed to miss bats this season and his walk rate has jumped up. Another team that has the time to develop Shuster more that also believes that his changeup could be a difference maker would be a nice home for him. The Braves shouldn't give Shuster away, but he absolutely should be on the table in trade talks after the season.
Braden Shewmake
Braden Shewmake has been such a weird prospect for the Braves. Coming out of the 2019 draft, most thought that he would hit but there were real questions about his future defensive home as well as whether or not he would find the power he had early in his college career again. Fortunately for the Braves, the defensive questions were answered pretty quickly as Shewmake has settled in as an excellent defender at shortstop in the minor leagues.
The offensive questions, however, are a different matter. Not only has Shewmake's power been inconsistent at best in the minor leagues, his hit tool has surprisingly regressed and the highest OPS he has posted in the minor leagues since his pro debut season is .715 which is decidedly not great. It does seem pretty clear that Shewmake doesn't have much of a future with the Braves, so moving him to a team that needs a capable defender at short with a bit of upside could allow the Braves to upgrade elsewhere on the roster.