Atlanta Braves: 5 players who have exceeded expectations in 2017
By Derek Snyder
5. Ender Inciarte, CF
Okay, let’s be honest here, Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte set pretty high expectations for himself after winning a Gold Glove last season. We all knew that he would immediately give the team a phenomenal player in the outfield, but it’s been his ability to hit the baseball that should have every Braves fan excited moving forward.
According to MLB Stats, the talented center fielder is currently leading the team in batting average, hits and stolen bases through the beginning of August. Needless to say, he’s been the table-setter for the Braves’ power hitters and is truly the elite player the team’s front office traded for in the Shelby Miller deal a few years ago.
If you’ve been an Atlanta baseball fan for the last decade, then you know how much time and money this organization has spent looking for a player to hold down the leadoff spot in the lineup. In 2016, Inciarte gave us all a glimpse of what was to come, as he finished the season with a .291 average, .351 on base percentage and 45 walks.
While those aren’t fantastic numbers by any stretch, that is exactly the type of production the Braves need in order to start competing for a pennant again. This organization was once a perennial contender for the World Series and Inciarte is the type of player that will help Atlanta get back to the promised land.