The Athletic names Braves 'most exciting' potential All-Star

The Athletic released their weekly power rankings with the Braves claiming the top spot. As they always do, they included a talking point — and this week’s surrounded each club’s most exciting potential All-Star.

Their choice is someone Braves fans should appreciate — the do-it-all Mauricio Dubon.

“The Braves are loaded with All-Star Game shoo-ins,” Chad Jennings writes. “Matt Olson should be the NL starter at first base, and Drake Baldwin deserves a spot if he’s healthy — probably as the starting catcher. Michael Harris II could be a reserve outfielder, both Chris Sale and Bryce Elder are in the mix for the pitching staff, and don’t sleep on Raisel Iglesias in the bullpen. But, we’ll make the case for Dubón, who’s filled gaps at shortstop, left field and center field, and despite moving around, ranks top-10 in the majors in Outs Above Average while also putting up above-average offensive numbers. Probably won’t be voted in as a starter or a reserve, but he could be an interesting injury replacement. You just know those Philadelphia fans are going to want to see as many Braves players as possible!”

I wrote about Dubon as a potential All-Star just yesterday, and while the odds feel slim, anyone who has paid close attention to the Braves knows exactly how valuable he’s been.

Atlanta desperately needed someone to fill in at shortstop when Ha-Seong Kim went down to start the season. Not only did Dubon fill in, but he was among the club’s best players over that stretch and may have won the job for good.

Michael Harris goes down for a couple of weeks? Dubon slides to center field. Need a right-handed platoon option in left field after Jurickson Profar got suspended for PEDs? Dubon has handled that splendidly too.

Having a player who can provide elite defense at virtually every position on the diamond has saved the Braves on multiple occasions throughout the first half, and that’s before even getting to his work in the clutch.

With runners in scoring position, Dubon is hitting .352 with an OPS over 1.000. With runners in scoring position and two outs, those numbers climb to a .407 average and 1.244 OPS.

The surface level stats might not scream All-Star. He doesn’t carry the name recognition of the players he’ll be competing against for a spot. But everyone in Atlanta knows the impact he’s had. WAR be damned — Mauricio Dubon has been directly responsible for more than a handful of wins this season. He’s absolutely deserving of making his first All-Star Game.