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The 2022 Atlanta Braves are a bonafide World Series contender.
It’s only natural, after they won last year’s Fall Classic, but it’s nice to see them competing at the highest level even after losing Freddie Freeman to free agency in the offseason.
They replaced him with a younger first baseman in Matt Olson.
That wasn’t their only move made with youth in mind, though: they are apparently determined to embrace a youth movement this year.
“#Braves have a pair of 21-year-olds batting 8th and 9th tonight at Fenway Park with Vaughn Grissom making his MLB debut after 22 games in Double A,” The Athletic’s David O’Brien tweeted.
#Braves have a pair of 21-year-olds batting 8th and 9th tonight at Fenway Park with Vaughn Grissom making his MLB debut after 22 games in Double A. pic.twitter.com/G73dUjE23B
— David O’Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 10, 2022
Michael Harris II has been one of the best rookies in the National League this year, with a .288/.324/.485 line, 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases.
He is just 21 years old.
Now, Grissom is joining him as the second 21-year-old in the Braves lineup.
The Youth Movement In Atlanta Is Underway
With just 22 games at the Double-A level, Grissom is unlikely to stick in the Braves’ everyday lineup, but even if he doesn’t, he will earn valuable big league experience and remains a big piece of Atlanta’s future.
Besides Grissom and Harris, most of the Braves’ primary contributors this year are young.
Austin Riley, who is playing at an MVP level, is 25.
William Contreras, Ian Anderson, and Ronald Acuna Jr. are 24, Spencer Strider is 23, and Kyle Wright is 26.
Even Dansby Swanson and Max Fried, among the “veterans” of the squad, are both 28, just like Olson.
This Braves team is good right now, but may be even better in the future.
It is sustainable over time.
The 2021 World Series champions aren’t going anywhere.