The Atlanta Braves have made a key decision regarding depth pieces on the roster moving forward. It was announced Monday afternoon that Brewer Hicklen would stay in the major leagues and be officially recalled.
Meanwhile, to make room on the active roster, shortstop Jim Jarvis has been optioned back to Triple-A.
Hicklen was added to the active roster for the Little League Classic on Sunday as the extra player. He didn't see action in the game, but it provided the Braves a moment to shake things up in an effort to help give the offense a boost.
He has been sharp at the plate all season for Gwinnett, and he had a solid showing in the eight games he played in the majors this season.
Over 93 Triple-A games, he's batting .302 with an .893 OPS, 18 home runs, 63 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He's someone who can potentially bring both extra pop and speed with enough action in the majors.
Meanwhile, in the majors, he went 7-for-19 and four walks. It's a small sample size, but it provided some promise for what he could bring to the table.
Hicklen has more success against right-handers, so that's where he'll likely see most of his action.
Jarvis had a solid start to his latest stint in the major leagues, but his offense slowly fizzled out. Through his first 24 games, he was batting .270 with a .740 OPS, which would have been more than sufficient to stick around long-term. However, in the following 14 games, he batted .079 with a .225 OPS. That showing will take you out.
Since the Braves seem committed to keeping Ha-Seong Kim around, even if he isn't playing that much, one of the shortstops had to go to make room for an outfielder. Like with Hicklen, Jarvis is better against righties, so, in a sense, a potentially hotter bat slides into that place on the roster.
The 25-year-old shortstop was on-base machine in Triple-A, and maybe he can still be that guy in the majors. That time just may not be there yet.
Mauricio Dubon will likely take back his place at shortstop, which he played mostly earlier in the season. Now that they have the extra option in the outfield, they have the space to move him back.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/braves/onsi as Braves Officially Recall Brewer Hicklen, Option Shortstop to Minors .
