At last, Braden Shewmake is set for his MLB debut.
The Braves promoted their top infield prospect Friday before beginning a home series against the Orioles. Shewmake, 25, was a first-round pick in 2019 (No. 21 overall) and had a strong spring training that earned him consideration to open the season as the team’s shortstop.
“It’s like my wife always tells me, God has a plan and he’s got you,” Shewmake said. “So that’s what I was trying to stick to, grind every day and trust that He has a plan for me, for us, our family. And it’s led us here, so I couldn’t be more thankful.”
Shewmake started at shortstop and hit ninth Friday in his MLB debut. His parents, wife and some family friends were among those attending.
At Triple-A Gwinnett, Shewmake was hitting .243 with a .738 OPS. He had seven doubles and five homers across 24 games. He also had stolen nine bases without getting caught. The highlight of Shewmake’s season thus far was his walk-off three-run homer on opening night.
“He had a really good spring,” manager Brian Snitker said. “Had a rough start, then he got it going again. He’s a very athletic guy. He has a lot of tools. He’s been in the minor leagues now for a while. He keeps getting better, that’s the biggest thing. He’s improving and getting better.
“I was really impressed with the spring he had, then at the end, all of a sudden he’d put his name in the hat for when we were deciding who we were going to go with. I like the toolset and what he brings.”
Vaughn Grissom has handled shortstop duties with Orlando Arcia injured. Shewmake’s debut means each of the three spring candidates for the opening-day shortstop job will have played in the majors this season. Grissom has struggled this month, going 2-for-15 (.133) while showing some of the defensive shortcomings that have made many question whether he can play shortstop long term. He’s made five errors in 18 games.
Shewmake is considered a solid defender. He showed his skill set during spring training, when he drew routine praise for his defensive acumen and speed. Snitker said the team will manage Shewmake’s and Grissom’s playing time by the matchups.
“We’re going to mix and match,” Snitker said. “I told them both, without beating any one guy over the head, we’ll pick some matchups right there. The one that’s not playing is a nice little piece on the bench. They can run, you have the opposite bat. It makes our bench pretty good, too, when they’re not playing, and we can have a few more options over the course of the game, I think, and keep them both really active.”
As for the Braves’ message to Shewmake: “Be yourself,” he said. “Don’t try to be too much. Be a piece to the puzzle, don’t try to be the whole puzzle. That’s the biggest thing. Just try to help the team win any way possible. It’s hard to think that way in the minor leagues because you want to get to this point, but once you’re here, it’s all about winning at this point.”
The Braves placed infielder Ehire Adrianza on the 10-day injured list, backdated to May 2, with right elbow inflammation. The team also reinstated closer Raisel Iglesias from the injured list and optioned starter Dylan Dodd. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud, nearing his own return, began a rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Gwinnett.
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