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Dee Gordon: A Fit for the Atlanta Braves?

By Matthew Schoettler

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Dee Gordon comes off of his best season as a professional, but the Miami Marlins are willing to listen to offers on their All-Star second baseman.

The Atlanta Braves struggled to find production out of their second basemen this season. Jace Peterson started the season as the team’s second baseman, but the Braves called up Daniel Castro later in the year to give him playing time at the keystone position. If the Atlanta Braves want a major upgrade at second, could they potentially make a trade with division-rival Miami Marlins for Dee Gordon?

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This past season, Jace Peterson owned a slash line of .239/.314/.355; while, Daniel Castro’s slash line was actually worse, a poor .240/.263/.344. While both players were in their rookie season in 2015, they posted poor numbers across the board. On the other hand, Dee Gordon led the National League in hits with 205; Peterson and Castro combined to have 149 hits.

Dee Gordon’s slash line sits at .333/.359/.418, but Gordon must improve on his walk rate. During the 2015 season, Gordon walked only 3.8 percent of the time, compared to Peterson’s 9.4 percent clip. Peterson’s walk rate shows that he has an advanced eye for his age, but Gordon impressed throughout the whole season, both at the plate and in the field.

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In addition to Dee Gordon’s high average, he led the National League in stolen bases with 58, narrowly edging Billy Hamilton (57 steals); however, Hamilton underwent shoulder surgery before the season concluded. Still, Gordon’s impressive year at the plate and on the base paths deserves the proper recognition. The 2015 All-Star will win his first career Silver Slugger Award this season, finishing with the highest batting average for second basemen.

Dee Gordon presents a major upgrade over Jace Peterson and/or Daniel Castro. Gordon’s WRC+ (weighted runs created plus) sits at a very respectable 113, compared to Peterson’s 80 and Castro’s 60. Peterson owned an abysmal stolen base percentage, sitting at 55 percent; however, Dee Gordon’s percentage hovered around 75 percent. The Atlanta Braves wanted Jace Peterson to take over the leadoff spot in the lineup, but his poor hitting prevented him from running with the job.

Dee Gordon, if acquired, fills the void that the Braves have atop the order. He hits for a high average while stealing a ton of bags. While Gordon’s bat is considered to be ahead of his glove, Gordon did not disappoint in the field, posting a .987 fielding percentage. This past season, Peterson posted the exact same fielding percentage (.987), but Gordon accumulated more putouts and assists than Peterson.

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The Miami Marlins acquired Dee Gordon relatively cheap from the Los Angeles Dodgers, so the Marlins may look to flip the second baseman to build their farm system. John Hart developed a strong farm system last season, but could he look to trade some of his recent acquisitions for MLB-ready talent? Dee Gordon likely would not come cheap; however, he presents an option that could fix some of the Braves’ offensive struggles.

The Marlins need help in the pitching department, outside of Jose Fernandez. The Braves own an abundance of young arms that need sorting. Thus, trading for Dee Gordon could make both teams better in the process. While we do not know what kind of price tag is associated with Dee Gordon, we assume it would be in the range of two top-10 prospects. 

Next: Atlanta Braves: Trade for Rockies' Arenado, LeMahieu?

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