Braves take three shortstops on Day 1 of MLB Draft

For a long time, the Braves have had a tried and true strategy of taking pitchers early and often in the MLB Draft. It’s something that’s obviously worked for them over the years, but with so few high quality position players currently in the farm system, the Braves went away from that strategy this year, taking shortstops in the first three rounds.

Braves Round 1, Pick 22 — Tate Southisene, Basic HS, Las Vegas

A Las Vegas high school product, Southisene hit .495 with nine homers during his senior season as he made the transition to shortstop. It’s way too early to determine if he’ll stick there as a professional, but his overall athleticism is what made him an attractive prospect. The Braves believe he has the ability to play all over the diamond, including the outfield, but his hit tool will ultimately determine what kind of piece he can be in the future.

“He has the tools to play just about anywhere on the field, because he’s got an above-average arm,” Braves scouting director Ronit Shah said of Southisene. “He’s a plus runner. And again, he has just the athleticism and the looseness and the twitch that you need to play — whether it’s shortstop, second or center. But we’re definitely going to send him out to play shortstop.”

Braves Round 2, Pick 60 — Alex Lodise, Florida State

Lodise was a superstar for the Florida State Seminoles this past season, hitting .394 with 17 homers — good for 1.167 OPS. He’s got a big enough arm to conceivably handle the shortstop position at the major-league level. Given Lodise’s success in college, he could be a quick riser through the system.

Braves Round 3, Pick 96 — Cody Miller, East Tennessee State University

Cody Miller wasn’t projected to go this high, which likely means he’ll sign well under slot value. But again, the Braves clearly placed an emphasis on power and athleticism at the most important position in the sport. Miller hit .331 with 18 home runs last season for East Tennessee State University and has the type of versatility defensively to play anywhere.

Drafting for need in any sport is generally a mistake, but especially in baseball, when most selections won’t see the field for several years, sometimes even a half-decade. Who knows what the Braves’ needs will be when these guys arrive to the show. However, I wouldn’t think of any of these prospects as pure shortstops, but rather athletes that can fill in wherever they might be needed in the future. The Braves farm system desperately needs an influx of talent when it comes to position players, and they’re off to a good start following day one of the MLB Draft.