About a month ago Atlanta Braves Austin Riley was tearing it up at Triple A Gwinnett Stripers hitting over .400 and knocking 13 baseballs over the fence. Riley was called up three weeks ago and he hasn’t let up. In the bigs, Riley is currently hitting .329 with 9 homers, 26 RBIs, while crossing the plate 15 times in only 79 at bats with the Atlanta Braves. In my opinion, Riley is not going anywhere anytime soon. To make room for Riley’s call up, the Braves placed CF Ender Inciarte on the Injured List with an apparent back injury. Seems pretty ironic the Braves did this right around the time Riley was hot at the Triple A club and a call up was imminent. The Braves have not rushed Inciarte back because Riley is tearing it up. Riley has been playing left field while Ronald Acuna, Jr was positioned, but he has moved over to center field, Inciarte’s position. Riley is a natural third baseman, but Josh Donaldson is playing that position right now, and that will only be for this season. With Riley’s play, Riley will be the Braves third basemen next year and for years to come.
In my humble opinion this is how I think it is going to play out this year for the Braves. The Braves will package a deal with Inciarte and possibly utility player Johan Camargo, and send them to another team for future draft picks, and maybe a minor league player. The Braves will then keep Riley in left for the remainder of the season, not resign Donaldson, then move Riley to third base where Riley will play full time and will be the (next #10). The Braves have plenty of minor league prospects that one will get a shot at the big club in 2020.
Below is Riley’s current stats so far with the Atlanta Braves:
SUMMARY 2019
WAR AB H HR BA R RBI SB OBP SLG OPS OPS+
1.1 79 79 9 .329 15 26 0 .369 .696 1.065 168
In only Riley’s second at bat in the majors on May 15, he homered over the left center wall with the distance traveling 438 feet.
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