The Atlanta Braves had reason for excitement with the return of top prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr.
The 22-year-old infielder was expected to return to the Major League roster at some point this season after starting the year due to injury. He had just finished his rehab assignment, though, and the hope was that he could join manager Brian Snitker's lineup in Atlanta sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately, his return to the Braves just hit another roadblock.
Braves' Prospect Nacho Alvarez Facing Another Frustrating Injury
MLB.com's Mark Bowman is reporting Alvarez exited Triple-A Gwinnett's game on Thursday with a "strained oblique." This can have a very wide range of recovery times depending on the player and severity of the injury, leaving the top prospect's outlook up in the air.
For the Braves, this is yet another hit in what has been an incredibly frustrating 2025 season. Losing Chris Sale this past week seemed to be the final blow to any hopes of turning things around.
Nacho Alvarez exited today’s game with Gwinnett with a strained oblique
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 26, 2025
Alvarez spent time with the Braves in the 2024 season and clearly wasn't ready for the next level. However, with more time in the lower levels and Atlanta's level of desperation in the infield, it seems that Alvarez was poised for a second chance.
Both Ozzie Albies and Nick Allen are providing very little offensive support in Atlanta's lineup. At worst, Alvarez was an option to replace Luke Williams and attempt to bolster the offense from either position.
It is upsetting not only for the Braves but also for a prospect who just spent the last few months working his way back from a previous injury. It seemed Alvarez was just getting back on track and returning to form. Suffering this injury now has to be a tough setback for a player who continues to be highly thought of within Atlanta's organization.
The silver lining is that Alvarez's injury, assuming it's only a strain, is minor enough for him to return to the Braves' lineup later this season. Hopefully, his next rehab stint goes smoothly.
For now, however, Atlanta remains stuck with underwhelming offensive options in the middle infield. Allen is talented defensively, but it is hard to continue to justify his poor offensive output without an incredibly consistent lineup around him.
All of this still sets Alvarez up to make his 2025 Braves' debut if he is able to find a way to get healthy and prove himself in Gwinnett's lineup.