The Braves and shortstop Orlando Arcia are reportedly in agreement on a three-year, $7.3MM extension that includes a club option for the 2026 season, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. The deal replaces Arcia’s previous contract, under which he was set to earn $1.3MM in 2023 with a $2MM club option with a $100K buyout for next season. Instead, Arcia will earn $2.3MM in 2023 and $2MM in each of 2024 and 2025, with a $1MM buyout on the 2026 option, which Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports is worth $2MM.
Arcia’s new deal will cover his age 28 through age 30 seasons, with the club option giving the Braves team control through age 31. That’s two additional years of team control for the Braves, who had already added an extra year of team control with Arcia’s previous contract, signed in 2021. With an AAV of just $2.43MM, Arcia’s new deal should have minimal impact on Atlanta’s luxury tax standing going forward, though it does actually slightly raise the club’s 2023 luxury tax payroll, as Arcia’s previous deal held an AAV of just $1.5MM.
Since the Braves acquired Arcia from the Brewers early in the 2021 season, he’s acted in a part-time utility role for the club, slashing .237/.308/.398 in 99 games while logging time at shortstop, third base, second base, and in left field. In 2023, Arcia enters the season as the club’s everyday shortstop following the departure of Dansby Swanson, with youngsters Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake waiting in the wings at Triple-A. Either could realistically supplant Arcia as the starter at shortstop in 2023, pushing him into his more familiar bench role.
Prior to joining the Braves, Arcia had previous played for the Brewers on an everyday basis from 2017 to 2020, though he slashed just .248/.297/.367 in his 483 games across those four seasons, good for a wRC+ of just 72. Over that time, Arcia was generally solid with the glove, though defensive metrics were mixed on his performance on a season-to-season basis. While he combined for +5 DRS and +8 OAA in those four seasons, that includes highs of +7 DRS and +8 OAA in 2018 and lows of -6 DRS and -5 OAA from 2019-2020.
Judging by his previous work in a full-time role with the Brewers, Arcia figures to be a below-average bat with an above-average glove at short for the Braves this year. That being said, there were positive signs in Arcia’s 68-game performance in 2022 that could indicate a new level of offensive production closer to average. In 2022, Arcia slashed .244/.316/.416, good for a slightly above average wRC+ of 104 despite a depressed BABIP of just .278.
Those gains came on the back of improvements to both his walk rate and ISO compared to his 2017-2020 seasons with the Brewers. His walk rate jumped from 6.5% over that time to 9.0% last year while his ISO jumped from .119 to .172. That latter feat is particularly impressive given his full-time role with the Brewers came in a particularly high-scoring run environment compared to the 2022 season. If Arcia’s 2022 improvements hold over in a larger sample this year, he could prove to be an above-average two-way regular for the Braves in 2023. Should that not prove to be the case, the Braves will still have a long-term, quality bench option at their disposal going forward who’s still on the right side of 30.
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So much for Vaughn being the future of Atlanta lol
This is an extremely modest extension. The only thing that’s been written in stone is that Arcia will be in the roster the next three seasons. He’s certainly not promised anything, and that’s especially if he struggles at the beginning of this season or next…
There will still be a competition, the only thing that changes is that now Grissom has to take the job from Arcia.
Whether he’s the starter, or whether he’s just a UT backup for the infield, this is an excellent deal for the Braves.
Its a “meh” kind of extension. Clearly using this cheap signing as an insurance policy for the next few years. Can’t tell if they are playing arbitration manipulation game with Shewmake and Grissom. I guess we shall soon find out. Arcia avg 0.8 WAR/per season player. Value seems fair for the production.
This has nothing to do with Vaughn. Arcia is just a solid, cheap depth piece that can play up the middle or LF in a pinch.
What does he do that’s so solid?
Hit and run….just a couple of pretty important facets of the game
He just got a million dollar raise. AA loves him.
I’m not a follower of the Braves, but I know a little about their prospects and their system. I was thinking that the Arcia extension would signal a position change for Grissom. I doubt they would give up on his bat, but the can certainly come to grips that he isn’t a future MLB shortstop without losing him completely.
@ Misterb71 Maybe he shouldn’t have been rushed to the show? We’ve seen time & time again how an AA run franchise rarely delivers prospects of significance.
@Stealing Signs – Harris-Strider are pretty significant (and both have been extended). Many of the ones he’s gotten rid of were drafted by Coppy/Hart (Cusick is an exception in Olson deal). But remember, AA is only in his 2nd season of having NO restrictions from Coppy-gate, so we really haven’t had a lot, at least from ATL, to see how he is with prospects.
I appreciate he was patient with the prospects he inherited and didn’t mess it up — and seemed to do a good job of evaluating/extending talent and trading possibly the “inferior” talent (though juries still out on that one).
Yeah, Mike Harris (rookie of the year), Spencer Strider, and Vaughan Grissom himself last year really showed that.
Vaughn was below replacement level last year. Strider ran out off gas in the playoffs (almost as if he wasn’t primed for the workload) & Harris has only had one full season at the mlb level. Better hope they all pan out.
Strider had a strained oblique at the end of the season.
Vaughn wasn’t below replacement level because there’s no way to determine that. Vaughn stepped into a tough situation and handled himself really well. Strider rushed back from an injury when he wasn’t physically ready to pitch.
Strider was recovering from an injury that kept him out almost a month at the end of the season, after pitching the most IP ever for him (being a rookie) — but, sure, “ran out of gas”. Vaughn was great to start, but didn’t make adjustments (not unlike Acuna, Dansby, Riley, when they started their careers)…after Grissom skipped AAA. “Better hope they pan out?” — or what? Strider/Harris are signed to relatively modest extensions, respective to their ceilings. Sure, after only 1 season of play, but it’s not like they’re signing Tatis extensions of $300M+. Low risk/high reward.
Arcia didn’t sign for 2 million a year to be a starter. That’s a contract pretty much admitting it’s just a matter of time till he heads back to the bench.
Both Grissom and Shewmake have about 1000 ABs in the minors. Still sort of light in the development process. typically see 1200+. I think its more time allotment for development….barring any injuries at the MLB level.
This literally has no impact on Vaughn. Arcia is a utility backup. He’s not going to block anyone from SS. Grissom will still get the same shot he was going to, and if he doesn’t work out, they’ll bring up the other prospect everyone thought would make the team.
Cheap bench piece who doesn’t block anyone from coming up and taking the SS job. This is the team that carried Rafael Belliard on their roster for 8 seasons so Arcia for 3 doesn’t hurt anything
There are no limits to who ATL can extend
When you have the resources, sure.
And avoid Boras clients.
AA’s bored.
Heh. He wanted to give an extension to Grissom but needed to see just a little more lol
Orlando Arcia is not a high range defensive SS but he’s a very good back up and stop gap until the Braves find their full time version.
At least the Braves know how to treat their players. Even their fringe players. The Pirates are crapping on their best player just because they can. Even their fans get defensive and say, Why pay him if we don’t have to? Someone needs to explain to them that by paying them you build team morale and show them some loyalty and it breeds team harmony. But who needs that Pittsburgh huh? Well I’m not trying to explain it anymore because it’s a waste of time.
That’s why freeman is still a brave? They know how to treat their players well right?
FF signed w/LA for approximately the same money the Braves offered him. He chose to go home to LA to be near his aging father, his brother, and other family. Your narrative is garbage.
Looks like a perfectly acceptable deal especially if he ultimately end up being a backup. My question is, what did he do to earn the conversation to do extensions and even pay raise? Idk… just odd considering the Braves already had control of him and his contract seemed reasonable as is.
Exactly what I was thinking. Money and years seem reasonable but…why?
Because you just locked up your utility man for 4 years without ever having to pay him more than this seasons 2.3 million?
The first time the Cubs tried it with David Bote it didn’t work out so well. Right after he signed it he tore up his shoulder and it took him almost 2 years to get back to where he was and by then a bunch of guys passed him by. He looked pretty good this spring but there’s no room for him. Let’s hope the Hoerner thing works out better and the future extensions they have coming do the same. There are worse examples to follow than the Braves and the Rays.
Bote made more money in the last 2 years of his deal than Arcia would make in all 4 of this one though.. This is so cheap it really can’t go wrong.
It’s a great signing even if Arcia is nothing but a utility man. This just means the Braves will have a good bench until 2026. And if he shows out and exceeds expectations then it’s a hell of a move.
I mean considering that we are no longer paying Bruce Sutter 1.6 million a year in our own “Bobby Bonilla” deal then it’s basically using that money to go to an active player.
Is that really true? The Braves had their own Bobby Bonilla? Crazy, I thought that joke only belonged to the Mets lol
I think the Orioles are still paying Davis also.
Check out what the Nats are paying Scherzer in deferred money—-15 mill a year from 2022 through 2028. The Mets will be paying DeGrom $34,500,000 in deferred money between 2035 and 2038. You’re right about Chris Davis too mike. He gets $42 mill in deferred payments over 15 years from 2023 through 2037.
If Arcia goes off and has an all star year this will easily be one of the greatest signings of 2023!
He did and you are right!
Dude just got to get it done. Based on the salary it’s still “utility guy” numbers. If he outplays the salary AA is a genius. If he struggles then back to backup duties. IMHO another well played move from the FO.
I bet the Braves offer extensions to their interns, locking up cheap analytics and coffee runs for years to come.
This is simply just having multiple options. The underlying metrics on Swanson as a hitter weren’t good. I think the Cubs will regret that contract immensely. The Braves will miss Swanson’s defense but they have enough offense to make it moot.
The funny thing is that Arcia was a top 5 prospect when he came up. A few years later and he would probably have signed a 12 year 150 million deal instead.
On a practical level it makes sense to extend Arcia given concerns about Grissom (and the current injury. On a financial level $2.4 million is a terrific value for a backup of Arcia’s caliber. Nice work, Braves.
Pretty easy decision if Arcia was willing to sign for that deal. Best case, they get a starting-caliber guy for a hilariously cheap deal, and if he’s just a utility player then it’s a reasonable amount to pay per year for that kind of player. And even if he pulls a Leury Garcia and falls apart, it’s still an amount that can be handled easily, and the luxury tax hit is pretty minimal regardless with how the money is spread out.
Isn’t the minimum salary now around $750k? This is a great deal.
Braves are legit. Rewarding the guy for winning the starting job he’s set to lose to Grissom. Million dollar raise instead of telling the guy he needs to earn next years raise and starting job by performing
This is a weird take.. Another perspective would be they simply extended their utility man for 4 years 8 million lol
He’s. Their. Starting. Shortstop. Not their utility man. And it’s a 3 year contract with a 4th year buyout. Are you ok? They could of pocketed the money. Weird take. Don’t lol your own comment.
Either you’re a really bad troll or a Mets fan if you think Arcia’s actually going to start all year for Atlanta much less the next 4 years. He’s merely a bridge and clearly knows that by signing a deal that maxes out at 8 million over for years.
Lmao Mets fan it is. He’s nothing but a bridge and that contract will end up being 4 years 8 million. You really suck at trolling lol
Go back to school and learn how to read. I said he’s set to loose it to Grissom. After you learn how to read look up the def of a troll. It’s you. Your take had zero understanding to what’s even going on here. Lol
So what you’re saying here is that you actually know he’s not the starter for long and you’re just making a very poor attempt at trolling? Got it.. Just another weird dude looking for attention
mlbtraderumors.com/2023/03/braves-to-option-vaughn…
Learn how to read. You’re mom’s calling. I gotta go.
Lol
100% Mets fan.. Nobody else would be this bad of a troll lol
Copy. Paste. Go Angels!
@yaysports
Don’t worry, your obviously arguing with a child. Or someone childlike who can’t hear a different opinion without insulting them. It’s sad that is the state of society today. “If someone has a different opinion tell them that they are wrong and make a joke about their mother.”
Lol you obviously had nothing better to do either since you replied, duh. Not the end of the world certainly, it’s just a lazy, tired ass routine that no one over the age of 12 thinks are funny. However, You did a beautiful job proving what I had said in the first comment true. The whole “nothing better to do” comment takes the cake.
“Thank you for having nothing better to jump in and comment.” Signed by—- the guy with nothing better to do than comment!
It’s my comment guy. Keep coming on back like your mom does. Yay sports. Lol
He will start all year and into the playoffs and beyond.
Great deal. Financial security and stability for Arcia, possible bargain for the Braves. Hitting coming off the bench or getting spot starts is much more difficult than playing every day. Who knows, maybe he’ll be league average?
Every team needs a SS capable utility guy.
Atlanta has theirs locked up for 3 years at a reasonable price. Arcia has enough money to live quite comfortably.
Good deal all around.
This is a depth / bench type move; Braves have a player they like he likes Atlanta so why not stay around. Has a good chance to be in a winner for the length of the contract.
This doesn’t really affect Grissom or Shoemake. Grissom has serious questions about his defensive at short stop. Don’t forget thar Grissom wasn’t on the radar to arrive in Atlanta last year it was about need. Some triple a time won’t hurt him.
Shoemake has never hit like he did in spring training. This off season he wasn’t even thought of as being the everyday shortstop. If he can hit a little in the first couple months of the season in triple a I would expect see him by may.
I think it better for them to start in triple a show they belong and get the call than for them to start season in majors have issues and get sent out. I don’t think this has anything to do with service time manipulation as of either can show they belong in Atlanta they will probably get an extension.
It was widely reported last season by the Braves radio side of things that Grissom didn’t have the defense for second base let alone shortstop
What a joke! Dude is a terrible player and the braves seem to be drunk in love with him
They are paying him only a little more than they paid Bruce Sutter last season.
Gotta lock them all.
I totally get this from the Braves side. Arcia seems to be accepting that he’ll never be better than he us now, or has been thus far in his career, and us taking what financial security he can now, in case a career-threatening injury happens.
Or, he just didn’t want to be the only member of the organization who didn’t get an extension!
So far, so good.
These takes were fun to look back on. Now that the dust has settled. I miss Dans. But I’d rather have Arcia for 8 for 4 than 177 for Dans. Just too much. Dans would be the 6th, 7th best player on the team–making way more than anyone per? Nah.