Mauricio Dubón brings Gold Glove defense to Braves’ infield
NORTH PORT, Fla. — It’s fine if people don’t think he can be an everyday player, Mauricio Dubón said Saturday.
He actually kind of prefers it that way.
“I like proving people wrong. I love that,” he said in the clubhouse at CoolToday Park. “And rub it in their faces, too.”
Dubón is penciled in to be the Braves’ starting shortstop going into the 2026 season. But that’s only because Ha-Seong Kim tore a finger tendon in an offseason, off-the-field injury in January.
The Braves traded Nick Allen to the Astros in exchange for Dubón in November. The 31-year-old can play (exceptionally well) second base, shortstop and third base, and has appeared in 16 postseason games — including the 2022 World Series — with the Astros.
His experience and defensive prowess was going to be an asset for the Braves anyway, but now he’s in position to be in the starting lineup every day.
“That’s been my whole life. At the beginning of the year, ‘Oh (another player is) gonna play.’ And then I step in and end up doing good and playing,” Dubón said. “That happened in 2023 when (Jose Altuve) went down, ended up going in there and winning a Gold Glove and everything. Now this year same thing, last year same thing. Went in there (last season) and stepped in and go win another Gold Glove. It’s just another opportunity for me.”
Dubón was in the 98th percentile in 2025 for fielding run value, a metric for capturing a player’s measurable defensive performance, according to baseballsavant.com. His outs above average (the cumulative effect of all individual plays a fielder has been credited or debited with) of 20 was the third-highest in MLB.
If, of course, the Braves can get anything out of Dubón’s bat, that would be a bonus.
The Honduran is a respectable .257 career hitter and has had impressive stretches, like in 2023 when he totaled 10 homers, 46 RBIs and hit .278. The Braves would certainly take those type of numbers starting next month.
“He’s just one of those we call a baseball player,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He plays everywhere on the field. Does, like, everything pretty well. And a valuable piece. And great in the clubhouse. Brings a lot of energy every day, it’s positive energy. He’s always in conversation with the guys, he’s talking baseball, he’s very astute. He’s a talented guy.
“I’m looking forward to watching him play this spring. I’m excited about the guy. I think he brings some tangible things that are gonna be valuable for us.”
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Friday the club is expecting Kim, who signed a one-year, $20 million contract in December, to return from his injury by May. That gives Dubón at least a month to fill in, and maybe even exceed expectations.
And for a player who said he grew up watching the Braves on TBS and grew to love the infield tandem of Rafael Furcal and Marcus Giles, and who added he has been counted out more often than not, simply having the chance to make the team is a win in and of itself.
“Yeah, you know I was a 26th-rounder. The odds are not good. It’s always for me, it’s that chip on my shoulder. Every year, I prove to people I can do what I do,” Dubón said.
“It’s just going out there, and always people are always gonna second guess. At the beginning, there are doubters, and then now it’s, ‘You know he can actually play.’ I’m excited to show everybody, again, that I can do it.”
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