3 roster stories to watch in Braves' ST games

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Most of the Braves’ regulars are expected to be in the lineup when the Red Sox come to CoolToday Park for each team’s Grapefruit League season opener on Saturday (1:05 p.m. ET, live on MLB.TV and MLB Network).

Braves fans will see plenty of familiar faces as their club begins preparing to bid for a sixth straight National League East title. The most notable roster changes include the arrival of Gold Glove catcher Sean Murphy and the absence of Gold Glove shortstop Dansby Swanson, who signed with the Cubs in December.

Here is a look at three things to watch during the Braves’ Grapefruit League season:

1) Will Vaughn Grissom win the starting shortstop job?
This question would have seemed ridiculous a year ago, when Grissom was preparing to begin the 2022 season at High-A Rome. Scouts have long questioned whether the 22-year-old infielder would become a primary shortstop in the big leagues.

But that was before the Braves got a better feel for Grissom’s determination and third-base coach Ron Washington’s desire to give the young infielder every chance to get better. Washington says Grissom is ready for the challenge of battling the more experienced Orlando Arcia, who served as Milwaukee’s starting shortstop from 2017-20, for the starting role. But Grissom may have more offensive upside if he proves he can provide suitable defense.

“We’re going to play the games to see what direction we go,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far [from Grissom] and how he’s gone about things. But that’s why we’re going to play all these games and see where we are.”

2) Will Eddie Rosario lessen concerns about left field?
The Braves re-signed Rosario last year with the hope he would pick up where he left off during an incredible postseason. But the 2022 season was a nightmare for the ’21 NL Championship Series MVP. He began experiencing vision issues during Spring Training, underwent eye surgery in April and then posted a .659 OPS in the 65 games he played after returning in July.

Without the power that helped him average 28 homers per season from 2017-19, Rosario provides little value in left field. The 31-year-old outfielder is looking forward to the chance of playing a full season without having to worry about changing contact lenses or any other corrective measure to improve his vision.

While Rosario is playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, the Braves will also get a good look at Kevin Pillar, Sam Hilliard, Eli White and Jordan Luplow -- who all came to camp bidding to be one of Atlanta’s backup outfielders. Luplow, White and Pillar could be candidates to platoon with the left-handed-hitting Rosario. Hilliard has strong power potential and the capability of being more than just a late-innings defensive replacement for Rosario.

“I don't think we pay enough attention to what [Rosario] went through last year and how hard it had been to have been for him with where his eyes were,” Snitker said. “I’ve seen a different guy this year.”

3) Who will fill the final bullpen spots?
Closer Raisel Iglesias, A.J. Minter, Collin McHugh and Joe Jiménez will begin the season in Atlanta’s bullpen, as long as they are healthy. Kirby Yates also fits this description, as he continues to recover after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021. The battle for the final three bullpen spots will be interesting.

Jesse Chavez seems like a top candidate, given his ability to fill multiple roles and serve as a bullpen leader. If Nick Anderson is healthy and pitches like he did before battling injuries the past two years, he’d be worthy of a roster spot. But he has Minor League options, so he might be given more time to prepare at Triple-A Gwinnett.

If Anderson doesn’t start the year with Atlanta, the final two spots could be reserved for a pair of left-handers: Dylan Lee and Lucas Luetge. Minter is the only other legit lefty bullpen candidate. Lee also has options, so he could be sent down to make room for Dennis Santana or Jackson Stephens, a pair of right-handed candidates.