The offseason is in full swing, and one of the biggest priorities for the Atlanta Braves is to find an everyday shortstop. Both Ha-Seong Kim and Mauricio Dubon are free agents this offseason, and the Braves don't have a shortstop solution for the 2027 season unless they want to try giving Jim Jarvis the everyday role, which is...less than optimal. There is still a pretty good chance Dubon returns, but what happens if the Braves lose him?
This is not a great offseason to need a shortstop like the Braves do. The free-agent crop outside of Dubon is pretty bad, and the trade market may have options, but the exact availability of those options at price tags that are anywhere close to reasonable is an open question. However, Atlanta does have some potential shortstop alternatives available, though they are not all created equal.
Tier ranking the Braves' options at shortstop if Mauricio Dubon signs elsewhere this offseason
Below, you will find a tier ranking of the potential shortstop options for the Braves this offseason, from the worst to the best. Before getting into the names, one note on potential prospect promotions. The Braves have some intriguing infield prospects like Tate Southisene, John Gil, and Alex Lodise that MIGHT be ready at some point in 2027, but it is our assessment that they won't be ready by the start of next season. Those prospects' development timelines are being treated as completely separate from the rest of the shortstop discussion here as a result.
Potential shortstop options that the Braves should pass on for 2027
- Ha-Seong Kim (FA)
- Paul DeJong (FA)
- Orlando Arcia (FA)
- Kevin Newman (FA)
- Jorge Mateo (FA)
- CJ Abrams (Trade)
- Anthony Volpe (Trade)
There are a few different groups of players represented here that Alex Anthopoulos needs to steer clear of. The first group is a list of ill-advised reunions, and it is a motley cast of characters. For example, if the Braves signed Ha-Seong Kim again or tried to run it back with Orlando Arcia, fans may show up at Truist Park with picket signs and torches. If the Braves decided to bring Jorge Mateo back as a bench option, that would probably be fine, but he is a non-starter as an everyday shortstop.
Then you have the guys who aren't good enough or who have severe injury concerns. Kevin Newman has not been able to string together success in the majors since 2019, and he was so bad last year that a terrible Angels team gave up on him. You also have Paul DeJong, who could be interesting, but who also just had surgery to repair a torn hamstring. The Braves are not in a place where rolling the dice on a guy coming off a severe injury to play such an important position is a good idea.
After that, you have the trade candidates who simply don't check the boxes the Braves need to check at shortstop, especially at their likely price tags. CJ Abrams can flat-out hit, and he certainly has given Atlanta fits over the years. However, the Nationals would not only rake the Braves over the coals as a division rival in trade talks, but Abrams is one of the worst shortstop defenders in baseball. As for Anthony Volpe, he has struggled a lot in the majors on both sides of the ball. He is genuinely talented, and the Yankees may want to move him, but there is no guarantee whatsoever he would help, and New York will try to maximize his significant team control and prospect pedigree in trade talks while they still can.
Shortstop alternatives for the Braves that could work as stopgaps and/or if the price is right
- JP Crawford (FA)
- Corey Seager (Trade)
- Otto Lopez (Trade)
- Jordan Lawlar (Trade)
- Elly De La Cruz (Trade)
Next up, we have the shortstop options that, in theory, could work under the right conditions. JP Crawford is getting older, but he is still extremely good at drawing walks and would provide valuable veteran leadership. On a short-term deal that isn't prohibitively expensive, he would be a fine stopgap option while the Braves wait for some of their prospects to develop.
There are a trio of trade candidates with Corey Seager, Otto Lopez, and (maybe) Elly De La Cruz who have similar cost problems. Seager would be an interesting option, but he had the Braves on his limited no-trade list, is making over $31 million a year, and is constantly injured. Otto Lopez would be terrific, but he is young, financially cheap, and plays for the division-rival Marlins, so any trade for him would be a massive overpay. De La Cruz doesn't have the same in-division problem as Lopez, but he is also a budding superstar who is a Boras client, which makes giving up what would be needed to land him problematic.
Jordan Lawlar is a weird case. Arizona has a really good shortstop in Geraldo Perdomo, so it appeared Lawlar didn't have a place to play. However, the Diamondbacks moved him to center field, and he was pretty good in 2026. It still feels like Lawlar is a trade candidate, but his availability and price tag might be an issue.
These are the prime shortstop targets that the Braves should be going after this offseason
Yes, the premise here centers on Mauricio Dubon leaving the Braves, but he remains one of their best options to address shortstop this offseason, at least in the short term. He defends well, and while his power isn't great, Dubon puts the ball in play a lot, which is a skill set in short supply in the Braves' lineup. Dubon is also one of the best utility players in baseball, so he can shift into a more flexible role if other shortstop options present themselves.
Alternatively, if the Braves decide to go big in their search for a shortstop, pursuing Astros star shortstop Jeremy Peña feels like the play. Not only is Peña a terrific player, but he also plays for a Houston team that needs a reset and could be looking to make big changes. Another point in his favor is that Peña would be a rental which, in theory, should help keep the price somewhat reasonable. While Peña still wouldn't be cheap to acquire, and keeping him beyond 2027 with Boras as his agent is unlikely, Atlanta could recoup some of the prospect loss with the qualifying offer (assuming it still exists in the new CBA) that Peña would almost certainly receive.
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