Eli White preparing for expanded role in Braves’ outfield again in 2026

NORTH PORT, Fla. — Not every team has a Speedway Classic MVP on its roster.

But that’s what the Braves feature in Eli White, the speedy outfielder who hit two home runs and drove in four in a 4-2 win over the Reds on Aug. 3 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. That was one of 105 games White played for the Braves in 2025, by far a career high for a guy who has spent much of his MLB tenure as a pinch runner and defensive replacement late in games.

“I had stretches where I was playing pretty consistently, too, so I’d never had that before in the big leagues,” White said Thursday at CoolToday Park before he and the Braves faced the Blue Jays in a Grapefruit League game. White was penciled in to hit seventh and start in right field. “Getting in there and being able to play with some consistency at points is huge in building confidence and showing that I can play at this level. Just kind of segueing into this year, I think it built a lot of confidence heading into this season.”

White is a career .208 hitter with a career OPS of .677. Anything he gives the Braves offensively this season will be a bonus.

But opportunities to chip in may have increased a tick this week with the news that Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar has been suspended for the entire season. That’s one less outfielder for White to compete with for a roster spot.

“I’m not thinking about that,” White said in regard to Profar’s absence. “I’m just trying to control what I can control and just go out and do what I can do on the field. Not too worried about the outside stuff. Just trying to control what I can control personally.”

After three seasons with the Rangers, White joined the Braves in 2023 but only played in six games. He made 35 appearances in 2024 before virtually becoming a regular in 2025 because, in part, of Profar’s first MLB suspension of 80 games and Ronald Acuña Jr. missing the first two months because of his 2024 ACL injury.

Despite the low batting average, White set career highs in at-bats (256), runs (43), hits (60), doubles (8), triples (3), homers (10) and RBIs (35). In the outfield, where he played more than 700 innings in left field and more than 400 innings each in center and right, White has showcased solid arm strength and above-average range.

Those traits have helped him hang around the club and remain a factor for the future.

“The thing about (White), it’s not just what happens at the plate. He’s got game-changing speed,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “And he’s a plus defender. He throws well. Those things matter, too. It’s not just lineup construction. Those things matter — there’s a lot of ways you can win a game. He, tools-wise, brings a lot to the table.”

A former Clemson standout who turns 32 in June, White has five hits in 13 spring training at-bats. He hit a solo homer Wednesday against the Colombian national team and has stolen a base.

White said he has seen some positive results in his swing, too, working on some tweaks he and Braves hitting coach Tim Hyers began to discuss last season. And, of course, White stays aware of his sprint speed, although he mostly relies on the team’s strength coaches and training staff to track those numbers.