Vaughn Grissom Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 2" / 210 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 1/5/2001 (22)
- Experience
- 0
- College
- None
Vaughn Grissom Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Vaughn Grissom News
The Atlanta Braves will option both shortstops Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake to Triple-A Gwinnett to begin the 2023 regular season. Grissom entered spring training as an early favorite to open the year as Atlanta's starting shortstop, but instead it's expected to be veteran Orlando Arcia. Grissom hit an impressive .291/.353/.440 with a .792 OPS, five home runs, 18 RBI, 24 runs scored and five stolen bases in his first 41 MLB games in 2022, but he didn't appear ready to handle the everyday shortstop duties this spring defensively. Shewmake is the team's No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the Braves will look to get both he and Grissom regular playing time in the minors to begin the 2023 season. Grissom's fantasy value obviously takes a big hit, but it would be a surprise if he's not back in the majors at some point this year.
Atlanta Braves third base coach/infielders coach Ron Washington has liked what he's seen from young shortstop Vaughn Grissom. "I'm not thinking he can do the job, I know he can do the job," Washington said when asked about Grissom's chances of being the Opening Day shortstop. "But he has to come up in here and he has to win a job. We're not giving him anything. We just tried to get him ready to compete, and he's ready to compete." The Braves are looking to replace All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson, and the initial replacement could be Orlando Arcia. Grissom began 2022 at High-A and finished the year in the majors, hitting .291 with a .792 OPS in his first 41 big-league games. Some scouts have questioned whether he can stick at the 6, but Washington seems sold that he can.
MLB.com's Mark Bowman suggests there's a chance that Atlanta Braves middle infielder Vaughn Grissom will begin the 2023 season in an everyday role with Triple-A Gwinnett if the Braves decide to use Orlando Arcia as the starting shortstop to begin the year. Arcia ranked among the middle of the pack in terms of outs above average as the Milwaukee Brewers' starting shortstop from 2017-20. Grissom has incredible work ethic, but he may not be fully ready for the starting gig just yet after making his major-league debut for Atlanta in 2022. The 22-year-old's defense at the 6 is somewhat in question, so he could use a bit more seasoning on the farm with his glove. But make no mistake, Grissom is the superior offensive weapon in the long term for Atlanta.
Batting Order
| 1 | Ronald Acuña Jr. |
| 2 | Matt Olson |
| 3 | Austin Riley |
| 4 | Ozzie Albies |
| 5 | Sean Murphy |
| 6 | Marcell Ozuna |
| 7 | Michael Harris II |
| 8 | Travis d'Arnaud |
| 9 | Orlando Arcia |
Vaughn Grissom Stats
Last 10 Games
Batting Order
| 1 | Ronald Acuña Jr. |
| 2 | Matt Olson |
| 3 | Austin Riley |
| 4 | Ozzie Albies |
| 5 | Sean Murphy |
| 6 | Marcell Ozuna |
| 7 | Michael Harris II |
| 8 | Travis d'Arnaud |
| 9 | Orlando Arcia |
Infielder Vaughn Grissom is laying the foundations for the future of the Atlanta Braves. With the subtraction of Dansby Swanson, Grissom will compete for a job at shortstop. The 22-year-old was promoted to the majors in August and only made 156 plate appearances, but we saw enough perseverance to expect a step up in his sophomore season. Grissom posted a .291/.353/.440 triple line with a 121 OPS+ through 41 games. He laced just five HRs in 2022, but genuine power is generated through experience. The Florida native displayed a 21.8% strikeout rate and a 7.1% walk rate, which would require some investment to build plate discipline. Grissom is granted a 17.1% strikeout rate from Steamer in 2023, which is already a step in the right direction. If he can surpass Steamers' .731 OPS and amp up his home run count, the Braves should consider Grissom in the long run. However, his 180.28 ADP exemplifies his lack of experience in the pros to draft him earlier.
