White Sox's Braden Shewmake: May have path to majors
Rotowire
Shewmake was traded from Atlanta to the White Sox on Thursday along with Michael Soroka (forearm), Jared Shuster, Nicky Lopez and Riley Gowens in exchange for Aaron Bummer.
Shewmake entered the 2022 season with a chance to win the starting shortstop job in Atlanta, but Orlando Arcia's strong form ended that opportunity. Even after posting a disappointing 72 wRC+ across 526 plate appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett, Shewmake should once again be in a position to vie for a consistent role in the majors during spring training thanks to this change of scenery.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Heating up at Gwinnett
Rotowire
Shewmake is slashing .328/.421/.656 over his last 18 games for Triple-A Gwinnett with seven doubles, a triple, four homers, four steals and a 7:7 BB:K.
The 25-year-old shortstop has no clear path to the majors as long as Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia are healthy, but Shewmake appears to be taking a big step forward as a hitter. His glovework has never been in question, so if he can demonstrate the ability to provide some kind of offense in the majors, he stands a much better chance of securing a starting role in the future -- whether it's with Atlanta, or in another organization should he get shipped out at the trade deadline.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Optioned back to Triple-A
Rotowire
Atlanta optioned Shewmake to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.
Shewmake appeared in only two games during his nearly two-week stay on the major-league roster and went 0-for-4 with no walks and one strikeout. The 25-year-old infielder will return to the Triple-A level to get regular playing time. He's tallied five homers and nine stolen bases in 24 games this season with Gwinnett.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Big-league debut Friday
Rotowire
Shewmake is starting at shortstop and batting ninth Friday against the Orioles.
Shewmake will enter the lineup after being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, replacing Vaughn Grissom at shortstop. Grissom has struggled to a .190 average with seven strikeouts over his last six games, so he could slide into a timeshare with Shewmake if the latter performs well in his big-league debut.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Shewmake was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Friday.
Shewmake has slashed .243/.282/.456 with five homers and nine steals at Gwinnett this season while splitting time between second base and shortstop. With Vaughn Grissom not hitting much, Mark Bowman of MLB.com believes Shewmake could get a long look at shortstop due to his superior glove until Orlando Arcia (wrist) returns.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Walks it off in Gwinnett's opener
Rotowire
Shewmake went 1-for-5 with a three-run, walkoff home run in Triple-A Gwinnett's Opening Day win over Jacksonville on Friday.
Getting the start at second base and hitting third for the Stripers, Shewmake took Robert Garcia deep in the bottom of the ninth inning to break open a 5-5 tie. The heroics salvaged what started out as a rough night at the plate for Shewmake, as he struck out in his other four at-bats. After nearly winning the starting shortstop job for Atlanta in spring training, the 25-year-old is a phone call away if a vacancy opens up on the big-league infield, but he'll need to prove at Triple-A he's a better option than Vaughn Grissom, who reached base three times Friday, scored three runs and stole a base but also committed an error at shortstop.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Beginning year at Triple-A
Rotowire
Atlanta optioned Shewmake to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.
With Shewmake as well as Vaughn Grissom being sent to Triple-A to start the year, Orlando Arcia has won Atlanta's starting shortstop job. Shewmake made a late charge for the starting gig, as he impressed both with his bat and glove during the Grapefruit League play. Shewmake and Grissom will serve as Gwinnett's everyday starters in the middle infield, with Shewmake expected to mostly play second base. Both have a good chance to help Atlanta before the end of 2023.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Chance to win starting job
Rotowire
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters Saturday that Shewmake has a chance to win the starting shortstop job out of spring training, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
The starting shortstop gig was assumed to be Vaughn Grissom's coming into the spring camp, but Shewmake's strong defense and a solid start at the plate has made this a competition. "We're going to take one of the two (Shewmake or Grissom) more than likely," Snitker said. "We'll see who we leave with in a couple of weeks." This will be a position battle to monitor over the remainder of spring training, and a decision may not be made until the final days of camp.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Swipes bag Friday
Rotowire
Shewmake went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.
Getting the start at shortstop and hitting seventh, Shewmake swiped his first bag of the spring on his second attempt. The 25-year-old has put himself in the mix to be Atlanta's Opening Day shortstop with some strong glovework this spring, and he hasn't hurt his case with his bat by going 9-for-27 (.333) with two doubles and a triple, as well as a respectable 2:5 BB:K. Vaughn Grissom has also hit well this spring and offers more upside at the plate, albeit perhaps with shakier defense, so this job battle could come down to the wire in camp.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Making push for shortstop job
Rotowire
Shewmake is making a push for Atlanta's starting shortstop job, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Shewmake has an .805 OPS during Grapefruit League play and has impressed the team with his defense at shortstop. He made his fourth start over the last seven games Friday at short, while presumed starter Vaughn Grissom has started just two games over that stretch and has been on the bench for three straight, although he's expected to play Saturday. One of Grissom or Shewmake should be the starter at shortstop for Atlanta and the other will play every day at Triple-A Gwinnett, relegating veteran Orlando Arcia to the bench in either scenario. Shewmake has struggled offensively the last two seasons in the minors, but it sounds like the 2019 first-round pick could be the choice at short if the club prioritizes defense.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Could get call later in year
Rotowire
Shewmake is looking good in the early part of camp and could be an option for Atlanta at shortstop later in the season, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Vaughn Grissom and Orlando Arcia are competing for the starting shortstop job this spring, but Shewmake could be the next man up if injuries or poor performance hit during the year. The 25-year-old was a first-round pick in 2019 out of Texas A&M and might have gotten a September call-up were it not for a knee injury in August. He finished the season with a .259/.316/.399 slash line for Triple-A Gwinnett over 75 games. Shewmake has graded out highly for his defense at shortstop in the minors, but his limited offensive ceiling could make him a utility player in the majors once he finally makes his debut.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Added to 40-man roster
Rotowire
Shewmake was added to Atlanta's 40-man roster Tuesday.
After selecting Shewmake in the first round of the 2019 draft, Atlanta is pretty invested in developing him into at least a utility player. The lanky shortstop hit .259/.316/.399 with seven home runs and nine steals in 76 games at Triple-A as a 24-year-old.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Joins 60-man roster
Rotowire
Shewmake will be a part of the Braves' 60-man roster, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Shewmake was the 21st overall pick in the 2019 first-year player draft, and he was invited to the Braves' big-league camp this spring as a non-roster invitee. He wasn't particularly effective, hitting .231/.333/.308 with three runs and two RBI over 15 plate appearances before being reassigned to minor-league camp. However, the 22-year-old will get a chance to develop as a part of the team's 60-man roster pool in 2020.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Struggles at plate in majors camp
Rotowire
Shewmake hit .231/.333/.308 with a double, a walk and two strikeouts in 15 plate appearances before being reassigned to minor-league camp.
This is hardly a knock on Shewmake, who has been in pro ball for less than a year (No. 21 overall pick in 2019). He got a brief taste of Double-A after dominating at Low-A (151 wRC+) and he will likely head back to Mississippi whenever the minor-league season gets underway.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Will join big-league camp
Rotowire
Shewmake was invited to the Braves' big-league camp Wednesday.
The 21st-overall pick in last year's amateur draft, Shewmake rose all the way to Double-A in his first professional season, though he struggled to a .217/.288/.217 line there in a small sample of 14 games for Mississippi. He'll likely spend this season conquering the high minors before pushing for a big-league spot in 2021.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Promoted to Double-A
Rotowire
Shewmake was promoted to Double-A Mississippi on Friday, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The 21-year-old seems to be progressing quickly after being selected 21st overall in the 2019 draft and will make a two-level jump. In 51 games at Low-A Rome, Shewmake slashed .318/.389/.473 with 39 RBI and 37 runs.
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Braves' Braden Shewmake: Strong start to pro career
Rotowire
Shewmake is slashing .318/.378/.453 through his first 36 games for Low-A Rome with one home run, four steals and a 13:22 BB:K.
The 21st overall pick in the 2019 draft, Shewmake's age (21 years old) and college background make his early success in the Sally League less of a surprise than the expected outcome, but it's still a lot better than the alternative. Atlanta is leaving him at shortstop for now, but a shift down the defensive spectrum remains possible as Shewmake fills out and matures.
