For Braves fans who are headed to Chop Fest this weekend, the Aguilas Cibaenas' loss is your gain: Johan Camargo is on his way.
Camargo had game-winning RBIs with multi-run homers for Aguilas in each of the first two games of the Dominican Winter League finals Tuesday and Wednesday in Santo Domingo, then left for a pinch-runner in the eighth inning of Game 3 loss Thursday night to get some rest before a flight to Atlanta for Chop Fest.
He committed to attend the Braves’ Saturday-Sunday event at SunTrust Park before his Dominican team advanced to the league finals. Camargo hit a three-run, tie-breaking homer in the eighth inning of the series opener Tuesday and a two-run homer in the seventh inning Wednesday that erased a 4-3 deficit in an 8-4 win.
Camargo was 0-for-3 in Thursday’s 10-inning loss and left the game for a pinch-runner after drawing an eighth-inning walk. It’s uncertain but not likely that he’ll return to the winter-league playoffs after the weekend if his team advances.
The second-year Braves infielder, who’s expected to compete for the third-base job or a utility role this spring, had an impressive winter with Aguilas. Camargo played 20 games during the winter-league regular season and hit .324 (24-for-74) with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and posted team-highs in OBP (.425), slugging percentage (.500) and OPS (.925) among those who played more than three games.
The Braves are bringing in a majority of their returning players and 40-man roster newcomers as well as several other top prospects for Chop Fest, which will spill over into the adjacent Battery Atlanta entertainment and retail village.
The event will feature autograph sessions, photo opportunities, clinics, roundtable discussions with players and team officials and various activities for small children.
