Atlanta is getting incredible production from a shortstop spot manned by Maurcio Dubon (139 wRC+) and Jorge Mateo (222 wRC+), but if they should need another in-house option before Ha-Seong Kim returns from injury, Braves SS Jim Jarvis (25) is firing on all cylinders for Triple-A Gwinnett, slashing .411/.506/.575 with three home runs and 13 stolen bases in 19 games. Defensive prowess has been the carrying tool throughout his baseball life, so it’s surprising to see him roaring out of the gate like this. A left-handed hitter at 5’9” 190 pounds, he’s never slugged .400 as a professional. Hasn’t even gotten especially close, but he’s always controlled the strike zone and taken his walks, maintaining a K:BB ratio somewhere in that sweet spot of 1:1 with a teenage strikeout rate. He’s been hunting a lot more than ever before this year, moving the contact point out front just a bit and really seeking pitches he can pull with loft. Click here to see doing just that and launching an inside pitch.
