Braves second-round pick turns heads in professional debut

Of all the players selected by the Braves in the 2025 MLB Draft, the one that really has an opportunity to shoot up the system at light speed is second-round pick Alex Lodise.

Lodise was a superstar shortstop for the Florida State Seminoles, winning the 2025 Dick Howser Trophy, which is handed out to the national college baseball player of the year. He hit .394 with 17 home runs and a 1.167 OPS as a junior and is already the top position prospect in the entire organization.

The Braves chose to start Alex Lodise in High-A Rome, where he made a statement in his professional debut over the weekend. He had four hits, three of which went for extra-bases (two doubles and one triple), and drove in three runs in just nine plate appearances over two games.

Lodise’s time in Rome might be short-lived. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him in AA Columbus by the end of the season, and looking ahead to next year, he’ll have all the opportunity in the world to work his way up the ranks.

Even including the major-league club, the Braves have a ton of questions when it comes to the middle infield. It’s something they’ll have to address during the offseason, but in an ideal world, Lodise becomes a legitimate candidate for a call up sooner rather than later.