When fans think about what the Atlanta Braves accomplished this offseason, a few names come to mind. They re-signed Ha-Seong Kim, which was great until he almost immediately got hurt in a fall. They traded for Mauricio Dubon to add a quality utility player and signed Robert Suarez to help anchor the bullpen alongside the newly re-signed Raisel Iglesias. However, one name you WON'T hear much about is Jorge Mateo, but that may need to change.
The Braves have a knack for finding players in the bargain bin that they can employ effectively. Just this year, we saw Dom Smith play a huge role in Atlanta's early-season success. Sure, he has cooled off a bit since then, and he has seen his playing time decrease, but few thought he would make the impact that he did at all.
Mateo is one of those guys who, at first glance, is a one-trick pony. He has never hit higher than .247 in a season and usually is a good bit lower than that. His career high wRC+ of 87 came in 2024, and that is nothing to really celebrate. The Braves signed Mateo in the wake of Kim's injury as another back-up option that happens to be a great pinch-runner, but he has been more than that so far for the Braves.
Jorge Mateo has been a sneaky important contributor for the Braves in 2026
Now, we aren't trying to oversell Mateo here. The guy has only made 54 plate appearances this season and hasn't played nearly as much as many other players on the roster. If you are looking for a dark horse candidate for MVP or a Gold Glove, Mateo isn't going to get there, especially once Kim returns.
However, that doesn't mean that he hasn't been very valuable. In addition to being an absolute terror on the base paths when he gets on, Mateo has actually hit pretty well. In his 25 games this season, Mateo has posted a .288/.315/.442 line, which has allowed him to actually use his speed a good bit to Atlanta's advantage. Mateo has also long been a versatile defender, although usually not a particularly good one. That said, he has posted a more-than-reasonable 2 Outs Above Average so far in 2026. In short, when he has been called upon, the Braves have been glad they did.
What Mateo's role will be going forward is a very fair question. Playing time is going to be tough to come by once Kim returns, and the Braves start using Dubon as originally planned. Even if Mateo is relegated to just being a pinch-runner extraordinaire who can fill in at multiple positions in a pinch, he has already shown that he is more than capable of contributing when needed. For the Braves, that is more than enough.
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