This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it frequently in your inbox.
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Ignacio Alvarez Jr. has spent the previous couple of weeks savoring the chance to take grounders with confirmed stars like Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies. Lower than three years in the past, he graduated highschool with none presents to play Division I collegiate baseball.
“I get to be round among the finest gamers within the league and so they’ve simply taken me underneath their wing,” mentioned Alvarez, who’s also referred to as “Nacho.” “A few of these guys, I grew up watching. Like even David Fletcher. I noticed him in Anaheim. I used to be in center faculty when he was arising. Now I get to be in the identical locker room as him?”
Alvarez is without doubt one of the Braves’ fastest-rising prospects, rating No. 6 on MLB Pipeline’s Prime 30 prospects for the membership. The 20-year-old infielder might be a part of Atlanta’s prospects staff that may face a staff of Crimson Sox high prospects throughout Spring Breakout on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET.
“It’s just like the Futures Recreation, simply extra guys are in a position to get in it,” Alvarez mentioned. “We’ve received some fairly good dudes on this system. We’re simply not getting any consideration. I feel we’re going to do nicely, and I feel having these video games is a reasonably good thought.”
These video games are designed to deliver consideration to gamers like Alvarez, who actually by no means drew consideration earlier than he hit .370 with 5 residence runs in 48 video games with Riverside Metropolis School in 2021. The Royals and the Rangers confirmed some curiosity within the Cal State-Fullerton commit, however the Braves didn’t enter the image till they took the younger infielder within the fifth spherical of the 2022 Draft and gave him an over-slot signing bonus of $497,500.
With Alvarez impressing throughout his first large league camp, it seems to be just like the Braves made a sensible funding.
“I actually by no means thought this was going to occur this fast,” Alvarez mentioned.
Alvarez has rapidly established himself because the Braves’ high place participant prospect. His strong body creates purpose to count on he may find yourself as a 3rd baseman, however he has continued to indicate nice athleticism whereas dealing with the shortstop place.
“The experiences on him are actually good,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned. “All people who was with him final yr has mentioned he can actually hit. He may appear like a catcher when he’s on the market enjoying quick, however he makes the performs. All the things I’ve seen together with his bat and glove has been actually spectacular.”
Alvarez has proven why Atlanta was so pleased to pick him two years in the past. He posted a .786 OPS and was profitable with 16 of 21 stolen base makes an attempt for Excessive-A Rome final yr. He performed shortstop in all however one of many 108 video games he appeared in defensively.
“My first full season and I received thrown into Excessive-A,” Alvarez mentioned. “I feel I used to be the youngest man on the staff by like two years. At first, it felt bizarre being that younger. However I really feel like I’m mature for being this younger.”
Solely 10 of the 491 plate appearances Alvarez totaled final yr have been in opposition to pitchers youthful than him. He’ll probably expertise comparable challenges as he strikes to the Double-A degree this yr.
“The dude can flat out hit,” Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer mentioned. “He can put the barrel on the ball. I’ve been very impressed. He has an unconventional swing, however he is aware of find out how to use it.”
