<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6Er6FSVS6ZpsZ6Vs4QJojkrHXhI=/0x0:5933x3955/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73794457/DSC_2825.0.jpg">
Credit: Garrett Spain - Battery Power
A rough injury got in the way of some promising changes in the approach of Ambioris. How Acquired
Ambioris Tavarez was signed by the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent in 2022.
Preseason Report Card
Coming into 2024, Ambioris’ stock was down after a rough 2023 campaign that saw him hit just .216/.319/.337. The toolsy shortstop showed he belonged at short - showcasing fantastic range and an arm that would make some of the best shortstops drool however his inability to consistently make contact put his future and positional ranking in jeopardy.
At times Ambioris looked uninterested on the field and put together several disappointing plate appearances which resulted in a sub .700 OPS at Low-A Augusta. Combine that with an astronomical 41% strikeout rate and there was not much positive momentum for Ambioris heading into 2024.
What We Saw in 2024
While the bat was streaky and he still hit just .199/.298/.320 across 50 games, we saw monumental changes not just in his ability to work a count and see pitches, but also in his mindset. Ambioris was near the top of the organization in pitches seen, and as a result saw his walk rate jump up to 10.6%. His knowledge of the zone was improving despite struggles to make contact - especially against advanced off-speed pitches.
The change in approach not only was highlighted by more pitches seen but his batted ball stats began to show a story that fell in line with this updated approach. Ambioris saw his LD% jump to a career high 25% (highest of his career - but still 1.3% upgrade from 2023), while his pull rate dropped from 42% down to 36%, and he began to drive the ball to center more as his cent% jumped from 24.7% to 32%. What all of this means is that you could see the adjustments that Ambioris was making coming into the season and while the results weren’t quite there, the dedication and process improvements gave us a lot to look forward to.
It all looked like it was coming together the last week of May when Ambioris hit a pair of homeruns in a 4 game stretch that saw him put up a slash line of .250/.412/.750. Unfortunately for him, he was hit on the wrist and broke a bone causing him to sit from the end of May until the end of August - essentially ending his season. Over the final 11 games of the season Ambioris would go on to hit .200/.234/.267 giving him a final season line of .199/.298/.320.
2025 Outlook
While the numbers aren’t pretty the changes in approach give Ambioris a lot of fuel for the 2025 season. He provides superb defense at short, and has really big power for a shortstop, so even if the hit tool doesn’t improve a ton, if he’s able to walk at around 10% and cut down his strikeout rate there will be a ton of people talking about him heading into 2026.
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6Er6FSVS6ZpsZ6Vs4QJojkrHXhI=/0x0:5933x3955/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73794457/DSC_2825.0.jpg">
Credit: Garrett Spain - Battery Power
A rough injury got in the way of some promising changes in the approach of Ambioris. How Acquired
Ambioris Tavarez was signed by the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent in 2022.
Preseason Report Card
Coming into 2024, Ambioris’ stock was down after a rough 2023 campaign that saw him hit just .216/.319/.337. The toolsy shortstop showed he belonged at short - showcasing fantastic range and an arm that would make some of the best shortstops drool however his inability to consistently make contact put his future and positional ranking in jeopardy.
At times Ambioris looked uninterested on the field and put together several disappointing plate appearances which resulted in a sub .700 OPS at Low-A Augusta. Combine that with an astronomical 41% strikeout rate and there was not much positive momentum for Ambioris heading into 2024.
What We Saw in 2024
While the bat was streaky and he still hit just .199/.298/.320 across 50 games, we saw monumental changes not just in his ability to work a count and see pitches, but also in his mindset. Ambioris was near the top of the organization in pitches seen, and as a result saw his walk rate jump up to 10.6%. His knowledge of the zone was improving despite struggles to make contact - especially against advanced off-speed pitches.
The change in approach not only was highlighted by more pitches seen but his batted ball stats began to show a story that fell in line with this updated approach. Ambioris saw his LD% jump to a career high 25% (highest of his career - but still 1.3% upgrade from 2023), while his pull rate dropped from 42% down to 36%, and he began to drive the ball to center more as his cent% jumped from 24.7% to 32%. What all of this means is that you could see the adjustments that Ambioris was making coming into the season and while the results weren’t quite there, the dedication and process improvements gave us a lot to look forward to.
It all looked like it was coming together the last week of May when Ambioris hit a pair of homeruns in a 4 game stretch that saw him put up a slash line of .250/.412/.750. Unfortunately for him, he was hit on the wrist and broke a bone causing him to sit from the end of May until the end of August - essentially ending his season. Over the final 11 games of the season Ambioris would go on to hit .200/.234/.267 giving him a final season line of .199/.298/.320.
2025 Outlook
While the numbers aren’t pretty the changes in approach give Ambioris a lot of fuel for the 2025 season. He provides superb defense at short, and has really big power for a shortstop, so even if the hit tool doesn’t improve a ton, if he’s able to walk at around 10% and cut down his strikeout rate there will be a ton of people talking about him heading into 2026.
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