A few weeks ago, the Braves quietly signed first baseman Jesus Aguilar to a minor-league deal.
It’s understandable why the move didn’t draw much attention. For one, Aguilar was having a poor season. He hit .221 with the miserable A’s, who released him in early June. The Braves, of course, are set at first base and designated hitter, so there’s no clear path for Aguilar in the majors.
It’s still not surprising the Braves wanted him, though. They’ve horded veterans at Triple-A, giving them experienced depth in case it’s needed. Despite lacking an obvious opportunity back to the majors, Aguilar opted for the Braves because of their reputation.
“It’s one of the greater organizations in the game,” he said. “I have good friends who told me if I had this choice, go straight there because it’s a good group over there (among those who recommended the Braves: infielder Hernan Perez, who played for Gwinnett last season, and Aguilar’s representation at MVP Sports Group). It’s a good organization, and you’re going to have a lot of at-bats.”
The 33-year-old isn’t too far removed from being a legit power threat. In 2018, he was an All-Star who slugged 35 homers for Milwaukee. In 2020, he had a .809 OPS during the truncated season. A year later, he hit 22 homers for Miami.
But across the past two campaigns, Aguilar has hit .232 with a .662 OPS. He’s trying to continue his career and show teams he still has something to offer. Aguilar said when he signed with the Braves, the club didn’t tell him about any potential future opportunities. This is simply a chance to collect at-bats as he attempts to extend his career.
“Hopefully somebody can see (how I’m doing), and I can go back to the majors,” Aguilar said. “For me, you have to understand the business. I’ve been in this spot before, so the only thing I can really control is go out there, try to do my thing and wait for the chance again. I just have to do my job here and see what happens.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
In nine games, Aguilar has hit .206 with a .729 OPS. He has two homers, a double and 11 RBIs (34 at-bats).
“He’s been awesome so far,” speedster Forrest Wall said. “Great in the clubhouse, approachable. And man he can really hit the ball hard.”
Aguilar has goofed around with Braves players in the past. He said of second baseman Ozzie Albies: “Great player, better person. I’ve played against him the last three years. I’ve seen him do some great things. Hopefully he can do them for at least 10 more years.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
During a conversation with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Aguilar was asked what stands out about the Braves from the opposing side.
“They have a great group over there with (Ronald) Acuna, (Orlando) Arcia, (Marcell) Ozuna, all those guys,” Aguilar said. “They’re happy. You can see it from the other dugout. They enjoy the game. I think that’s the difference between that team and other teams. They’re happy, they’re enjoying it and they’re doing it the right way. You can see it. The last few years, they’ve been crushing the league. They’ve been crushing the (National League) East. And I think that’s why.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
