Adeiny

Hechavarria

Hechavarria signed a minor league pact with the Royals back in mid-June and winds up back in the free agent waters after batting .220/.291/.425 with six homers in 36 games for Triple-A Omaha. The 34-year-old journeyman infielder last appeared in the majors during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign when he got into 27 contests for the Braves.

Hechavarria had been playing with the independent Long Island Ducks after failing to make the Braves out of spring training. The 34-year-old hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2020 and will mostly function as organization depth at this point in his career.

Hechavarria was in camp with the Braves this spring, but failed to land a spot on their season-opening roster. The 33-year-old veteran infielder hasn’t appeared in the majors since he got into 27 games for Atlanta during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

Hechavarria signed a minor league contract last month with the Braves and wasn’t going to make their season-opening roster. The 33-year-old veteran infielder hasn’t appeared in the majors since he got into 27 games for Atlanta during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The 33-year-old previously played for the Braves during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Hechavarria spent the last two seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball -- most recently hitting a paltry .231/.282/.323 with five homers and 31 RBI in 113 games. He’ll add organizational depth and defensive versatility for the Braves.

The 31-year-old utility infielder appeared in 27 games with the Braves during the 2020 season, slashing .254/.302/.305 with no homers, two RBI and a 12/4 K/BB ratio over 63 plate appearances. He was unlikely to land anything more than a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training this winter, so it’s easy to understand why he jumped at the more lucrative offer in Japan.

The Braves clinched the NL East earlier this week, so it makes sense to give some regulars a breather ahead of the postseason. Austin Riley will slide over to first base and Adeiny Hechavarria will cover third.

Hechavarria had a 24-game surge after joining the Braves late last year, earning him a guaranteed contract for 2020. He won’t be so fortunate again this winter. He’s batting .255/.296/.294 in limited action for the Braves, and while he’s still capable at three infield spots, he’s not the defender he was in his youth.

Riley is out of the lineup on Thursday against the Marlins, but Snitker hinted that Riley would have been able to play if necessary. Atlanta clinched the NL East title on Wednesday, so Riley sits and Adeiny Hechavarria will be in the lineup in the 23-year-old’s place.

Albies suffered the injury last week and wasn’t very effective while trying to play through it, so the Braves are now forced to give him a full 10 days off. The 23-year-old currently holds a .159/.196/.273 batting line with one home run and zero stolen bases through 11 games played in 2020. Adeiny Hechavarria, Johan Camargo, and Charlie Culberson are among the options to help fill the gap at second base while Albies is away.