ATL All Day
Fansided

Is Cameron Maybin The Braves’ MVP So Far?

By John Buhler

facebooktwitterreddit

Cameron Maybin has been a revelation batting second and playing centerfield for the Atlanta Braves this season.  Maybin has finally put it all together as a valuable every day player for Manager Fredi Gonzalez.  His improved approach at the plate under Hitting Coach Kevin Seitzer’s watchful eye transformed Maybin into a feared major league hitter.  He’s been the best Braves centerfielder since Michael Bourn was an All-Star for the team in 2012.  Has Cameron Maybin been the Atlanta Braves’ MVP through the first third of the 2015 Season?

More from Atlanta Braves

At the plate, Maybin is hitting .303 with a .375 OBP and 32 RBI’s.  He leads the team in steals with 11 bags and raised his batting average .128 points since May 1st (.175 to .303).  In his last 30 games for the Braves, Maybin is hitting .339 with a .398 OBP, 8 SB’s and 21 RBI’s.  Last year with San Diego, Maybin only had 15 RBI’s all season for the Padres.

Though his 5 home runs will likely keep Maybin out of the All-Star game conversation as a centerfielder, Cameron is a major reason the Braves have outplayed expectations in 2015, hovering near .500 and within striking distance of the winnable National League East.  Along with 2B Jace Peterson, Maybin has given the Braves a 1-2 punch the team hasn’t had in over four seasons.

Offensively he’s reminding me a lot of Martin Prado with his newfound ability to hit the ball with authority to all parts of the field.  Seitzer and Maybin have worked tirelessly to shorten Cameron’s formerly loopy swing.  And it’s working!  Maybin is having a career year in his first season with Atlanta.

I would say at this point of the season, Cameron Maybin is one of three Braves contending for team MVP.  His primary challengers are SP Shelby Miller and 1B Freddie Freeman, both of whom I see getting to Cincinnati for the All-Star game.  That’s not to say that Maybin hasn’t had a great first third for the Braves.  It’s just so difficult to stand out in the deep NL outfield (Giancarlo Stanton, Andrew McCutchen, Bryce Harper, etc.).

As of now, I think Maybin beats out Miller by a hair but falls just short of Freeman for team MVP in 2015.  Just because Maybin isn’t likely an All-Star doesn’t mean he isn’t tremendously valuable for Atlanta.  I mean Terry Pendleton didn’t go to the 1991 Mid-Summer Classic and won NL MVP for the Worst-To-First Atlanta Braves.  If Atlanta is going to get back into the postseason this fall, the Braves are going to need Cameron Maybin’s timely hitting and above-average defense to help get them there.

More from ATL All Day

Home/Atlanta Braves