Orlando Arcia
Arcia with the Braves in 2024
Atlanta Braves – No. 11
Shortstop
Born: (1994-08-04) 4 August 1994 (age 29)
Anaco, Anzoátegui, Venezuela
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
2 August, 2016, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.247
Home runs70
Runs batted in288
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Orlando Jesús Arcia (born 4 August 1994) is a Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Milwaukee Brewers signed Arcia as an international free agent in 2010. He made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Brewers, and was traded to the Braves during the 2021 season.

Career

Milwaukee Brewers

Arcia with the Brewers in 2018

The Milwaukee Brewers signed Arcia as an international free agent in October 2010. He made his professional debut in 2011 with the Dominican Summer League Brewers. He missed the 2012 season due to a broken ankle he suffered during spring training.[1][2] Arcia returned in 2013 to play for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Class A Midwest League and played for the Brevard County Manatees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League in 2014.[3] He spent the 2015 season with the Biloxi Shuckers of the Class AA Southern League.[4][5][6] In July, he played in the 2015 All-Star Futures Game.[7] After hitting .307/.347/.453 with eight home runs, Arcia was named the Brewers Minor League Player of the Year for 2015.[8][9] The Brewers added him to their 40-man roster after the season.[10] He also spent 2014 and 2015 playing for the Caribes de Anzoategui of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, a winter league held during MLB's offseason.

Arcia began the 2016 season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. He made his major league debut on 2 August.[11] In 55 games for the Brewers, he hit .219/.273/.358 with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs.

The following season, he played in 153 games, he hit .277/.324/.407 with 15 home runs and 14 stolen bases.

On 1 July 2018, he was demoted to AAA for the second time in the season. He was hitting .197 before the demotion.[12] He was recalled on 26 July and rebounded to finish the season hitting .236/.268/.307 with 3 homers and 30 RBIs, including two walk-off singles. In game 3 of the NLDS against the Rockies, he homered off of Wade Davis to extend the Brewers' lead in their eventual series-clinching 6-0 victory. In Game 2 of the NLCS, he homered off of Hyun-jin Ryu to start the scoring, but the Brewers would lose that game to Los Angeles 4-3.

In 2019 he batted .223/.283/.350 with 15 home runs, and 59 RBIs.[13] After the season, the Brewers acquired shortstop Luis Urías and had Arcia and Urías platoon at shortstop in 2020.[14] He appeared in 59 games in 2020, batting .260/.317/.416 with 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 173 at-bats.[15]

Atlanta Braves

Arcia in 2022

On 6 April 2021, the Brewers traded Arcia to the Atlanta Braves for Patrick Weigel and Chad Sobotka.[14] The Braves assigned Arcia to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. On 3 July, Arcia was recalled from Gwinnett.[16] He and Sean Newcomb were optioned to Gwinnett on 31 July 2021, as trade acquisitions Jorge Soler and Richard Rodríguez joined the team.[17] When rosters expanded in September 2021, Arcia rejoined the Atlanta Braves.[18] In 2021 in the majors, between the two teams he batted .198/.258/.309 with 2 home runs and 14 RBIs in 81 at bats.[19] The Braves finished with an 88–73 record, clinching the NL East, and eventually won the 2021 World Series, giving the Braves their first title since 1995.[20]

On 30 November 2021, Arcia and the Braves agreed to a two-year contract worth $3 million.[21] Following an injury to Ozzie Albies, Arcia became the Braves' starting second baseman.[22] During a game against the Boston Red Sox on 9 August, Arcia injured his hamstring while running the bases.[23]

In spring training in 2023, Arcia competed against Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake for the starting shortstop job. Though Grissom entered the spring as the favorite, Arcia won the position on the strength of his glove; Grissom and Shewmake were optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on 20 March.[24] On Opening Day, Arcia and the Braves agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $7.3 million.[25] The contract also included a team option for the 2026 season for $2 million, or a $1 million buyout.[26][27] Arcia was hit by a pitch from Hunter Greene on 12 April, and remained on the injured list through 6 May.[28][29] At the midseason, Arcia for the first time was named a starting shortstop for the National League in the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[30]

Personal life

His older brother, Oswaldo Arcia, has played in MLB.[31]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ankle Injury Hasn't Slowed Arcia". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  2. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals battle through injuries". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Brewers prospect Arcia tearing it up at plate". MLB.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Top prospect Orlando Arcia is turning heads". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Lively Arcia making big impression as one of Brewers' hottest prospects". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Stock Watch: Milwaukee Brewers' Orlando Arcia hitting stride in Double-A - MiLB.com News - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Brewers' Orlando Arcia shines in Futures Game". MLB.com. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Orlando Arcia, Jorge Lopez are top Brewers minor leaguers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Brewers name Arcia, Lopez as top minor leaguers for 2015". Fox Sports. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  10. ^ "Brewers protect Orlando Arcia for Rule 5 Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Orlando Arcia's debut a big deal for Brewers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Brewers again demote struggling SS Arcia". ESPN.com. 1 July 2018.
  13. ^ "Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Batters » Advanced Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  14. ^ a b Haudricourt, Tom; Rosiak, Todd. "With commitment to Luis Urías at shortstop, Brewers trade Orlando Arcia to Braves for two big pitchers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  15. ^ "Detroit Tigers Trade Target: Ronald Guzman". 23 December 2020.
  16. ^ Burns, Gabriel (4 July 2021). "Braves promote hot-hitting Orlando Arcia". Atlanta Journal Constitution.
  17. ^ Odum, Charles (31 July 2021). "Dansby Swanson has seven RBIs as Braves roll by Brewers". Chattanooga Times Free-Press. Associated Press. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  18. ^ Burns, Gabriel (1 September 2021). "Braves add Orlando Arcia, Jacob Webb to expanded roster". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Orlando Arcia Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. ^ "Atlanta Braves win 2021 World Series". MLB. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  21. ^ Bowman, Mark (30 November 2021). "Braves complete deals with Arcia, Heredia". MLB.com. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Braves acquire vet 2B Cano from Padres for cash". ESPN.com. Associated Press. 10 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  23. ^ "Atlanta Braves' Orlando Arcia headed to IL after injuring hamstring". ESPN.com. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  24. ^ Toscano, Justin (22 March 2023). "Braves' Orlando Arcia on shortstop job: 'I feel very grateful for this opportunity'". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  25. ^ Bowman, Mark (30 March 2023). "Orlando Arcia, Braves agree to 3-year extension". MLB.com. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  26. ^ Toscano, Justin (30 March 2023). "Why the Orlando Arcia extension is good for the Braves". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  27. ^ "Braves' Orlando Arcia signs 3-year, $7.3 million contract". ESPN.com. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  28. ^ "Wrist fracture lands Braves SS Orlando Arcia on injured list". ESPN.com. Reuters. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  29. ^ Bowman, Mark (7 May 2023). "Braves take big series in extras with Harris' heroics". MLB.com. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  30. ^ "The Atlanta Braves have 3 starters for the 2023 All-Star Game - Sports Illustrated Atlanta Braves News, Analysis and More". Sports Illustrated Atlanta Braves News, Analysis and More.
  31. ^ "Twinsights: Arcia brothers on a collision course". TwinCities.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014.

External links

Atlanta Braves current roster
Atlanta Braves 2021 World Series champions
Categories