Nacho Alvarez won’t pretend to be surprised by his promotion. He’s seen how the Braves operate.
“I don’t count things out with these guys,” he said. “They like to move people fast. It was never going to be a surprise for me. I was always ready and I believed in my abilities.”
When Ozzie Albies suffered a fractured wrist Sunday, sidelining him for approximately eight weeks, the Braves decided they’d summon Alvarez, the hot-hitting 21-year-old in Triple-A Gwinnett. He made his debut Monday, hitting second against the Reds at Truist Park. (On hitting him so high in the order, manager Brian Snitker said: “He’s been hot, so why not?”)
Alvarez described the feel as “surreal; something I’d dreamed about since I was a kid.” Unfortunately, not all of his family could make his first game as they were stuck in Southern California due to the IT outages affecting travel. But the 2022 fifth-round pick (No. 155) was finally a big leaguer.
“I showed up today and I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “But I’m here now. I have to do my job.” He was extremely emotional learning the news, saying he cried for around 10 minutes while calling his mom and dad.
Alvarez went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, though he had a couple of hard-hit balls against Reds All-Star Hunter Greene in a 4-1 loss. After the game, Alvarez said: “It wasn’t the result I wanted, but I went out there and had some fun. That’s all I can control, honestly. I put some good swings on Greene and it just didn’t go my way.”
The rookie debuted at a position he hadn’t manned in years (and didn’t have a ball hit to him in his debut). Alvarez played second base his first three years of high school before moving to shortstop, which he’s played since. If that’s supposed to be any concern, he made it clear: It isn’t. “At the end of the day, it’s just baseball,” he said. “I played second base in high school. I’ll figure it out.”
In Triple-A, Alvarez hit .336/.432/.575 with seven homers, six doubles and 24 RBIs in 28 games. He credited a hitting adjustment (hand load related) for his success. He also thanked veterans Sandy Leon and Yuli Gurriel in Gwinnett for their guidance.
“I got caught up in being in Double-A at such a young age, but when they promoted me, it was like – I don’t know,” Alvarez said. “It was weird. I got to Triple-A and I felt more comfortable being there than in Double-A. It doesn’t make any sense, but for me that’s how it worked.
Alvarez comes from Riverside City College, the same California school that produced beloved Braves reliever Jesse Chavez. He wasn’t a heralded high-school prospect. He wasn’t highly drafted. Nothing physically jumps out. Alvarez is a unique story; he appreciates that.
“I was never the strongest, tallest, fastest,” he said. “But I just had the baseball savvy in me and I played the game the right way. My dad taught me from the jump. I would say probably in high school I knew there was a real shot. I didn’t get any offers out of high school so I was a little discouraged, then I went to junior college and it all worked out. Pretty much two years after I was drafted I’m here now, so I’m just going to continue to work.”
The Braves sure could use a spark from Alvarez. They’re 35-37 since an MLB-best 19-7 start. The offense, which set records a year ago, has consistently sputtered. The situation is ripe for someone like Alvarez to provide a needed adrenaline shot.
“He’s a really engaging kid, sharp, fun guy to be around,” Snitker said. “I think he has a lot of confidence in his game.”
