2. Defensive Skill
While Arcia may not be the top defender amongst all MLB shortstops, his defensive skill is not to be overlooked. Arcia is ranked as the 11th-best defender in all of the majors but is ranked 6th among National League shortstops. Arcia currently holds an OAA of 3 according to Baseball Savant which has him as 9th-best in all of baseball.
He currently carries a DRS of 4 and his UZR/150 sits at 3.1 on the season. Those are slightly above average numbers when it comes to defense and having watched Arcia in every game he's played in so far this year, I have to agree. His range is impressive and he's turned some really tough plays with ease.
Those are impressive numbers and are very high for Orlando who had struggled the last few season with defense and it's possible he may not be able to sustain such a great performance. However, it's also possible working with Ron Washington has unlocked something for Arcia and this becomes his new normal.
He has proven that he belongs in this league and can provide the Braves with great defense which is a major calling card and requirement of this Atlanta Braves organization. While they are a powerful lineup, they know championships depend on defense being executed at the highest level.
It was tough to see the Braves lose a defender like Dansby Swanson but Orlando Arcia has eased those concerns so far and has proven Alex Anthopoulos right as his choice to man the shortstop position in 2023. I'm sure he couldn't have expected Orlando to perform this well but it's a welcome surprise.