Consensus top-50 prospect Ozzie Albies will make his major-league debut with the Atlanta Braves this week.
The 5-foot-9 middle infielder will make his long-awaited debut after slashing .285/.330/.440 with 38 extra-base hits with Triple-A Gwinnett this season as one of the youngest players in the International League. Now inhis age-20 campaign, the switch-hitting Albies has ranked as one of the top infield prospects in baseball for the past twoyears.
The moveintensifies the attention on the team's infield logjam with Freddie Freeman, Matt Adams, Brandon Phillips, Johan Camargo and Sean Rodriguez.
Phillips, a 36-year-old pending free agent,is particularly considered a trade candidate even after the passage of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. With the team recently demoting shortstop and fellow top prospect Dansby Swanson due to playing time, the assumption here is thatAlbies' promotion signals the organization's willingness to turn their attention to the 2018 season and beyond meaning the Curacao native will likely (or should) become the starting second basemanupon arrival.
Albies will join a host of top prospects to debut with the Braves since the start of the franchise's rebuild after the 2014 season, following the likes of Swanson, Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb.
Albies will be the youngest player in the majors.
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