Ignacio Alvarez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #4 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Braves liked Alvarez more than most scouts out of junior college and signed him for $500,000 in the fifth round in 2022. He quickly turned into one of Atlanta’s most impressive contact hitters, excelling at High-A Rome in 2023 and spending the entirety of the 2024 season in the upper minors, where he maintained that reputation. In late July, Alvarez made his MLB debut as a 21-year-old filling in for injured Ozzie Albies at second base but went just 3-for-30 in eight games before returning to the minors.
  
  Scouting Report: Alvarez has quieted some of the noise in his swing and now has much less bat waggle in his pre-pitch setup and quieter footwork, but he still uses a toe tap and deep hand press to get started. Despite that, he makes tons of contact and is the best pure hitter in the Braves’ system. He rarely expands the zone and makes plenty of contact within it, including a low 13.5% in-zone miss rate in 2024. Alvarez continues to look like a hit-over-power player who will have more doubles than home run power. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 101.5 mph in 2024 was a step back from 2023 and is an average mark for a 21-year-old minor leaguer. He’s a below-average runner who lacks the range for shortstop, though the Braves remain quite bullish on his defensive upside at third base, citing his reliable hands, body control, instincts and arm strength. Some scouts see him as more of a solid-average defender.
  
  The Future: Alvarez has carrying tools with his contact skills and batting eye, but his lack of range and power creates a tweener infield profile that falls short of a first-division regular. He’ll need to add more pop but is still young and will play his age-22 season in 2025.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #9 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Alvarez was a productive junior college hitter who helped lead his Riverside club to a California state championship, though scouts were mixed on his pro potential and upside. The Braves were high on his hitting and defensive ability and signed him to a $500,000 deal in the fifth round in 2022, and he’s shown lots of contact and on-base skills in his first two seasons. As a 20-year-old in the South Atlantic League, Alvarez’s .395 on-base percentage was ninth-best in the High-A circuit.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite a swing with a lot of moving parts, Alvarez has arguably the best pure bat-to-ball skills in Atlanta’s system. He has a high handset with lots of bat waggle, a toe tap that coincides with a hand push in his load before taking another step in his lower half and firing his hands with a level path through the zone. Alvarez chased a bit more against High-A pitching but still has a keen batting eye and strong swing decisions. He rarely misses within the strike zone, but is a hit-over-power offensive profile who might have more doubles power than home run juice. Alvarez has fine exit velocity data for his age--an 87.8 mph average and 102.2 mph 90th percentile mark--but he has limited physical projection with a filled-out frame. Alvarez turns in fringe-average run times, but his foot speed and range are his biggest defensive questions. He’s sure-handed on the balls he gets to at shortstop with above-average arm strength, but most external scouts view him as a corner infielder.
  
  The Future: Alvarez continues to showcase impressive contact ability that should get him to the big leagues, though his defensive role and power will ultimately determine his upside. He should keep playing every day at shortstop in 2024 in Double-A.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #15 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Alvarez helped lead Riverside (Calif.) JC to a state championship in 2022, while hitting .370/.494/.582 with five home runs and establishing himself as one of the top junior college players in the draft class. Amateur scouts were split on him, with some believing he was a top 10 rounds talent and others believing he didn't have a carrying tool for pro ball. The Braves were one of the former clubs and signed 'Nacho' for $500,000 in the fifth round.
  
  Scouting Report: Alvarez displayed his strike-zone discipline in junior college by walking 36 times compared to 16 strikeouts, and that keen batting eye translated to the pro game during his debut season as well. His chase rate was among the lowest of any Braves hitter, and he walked at a 21% clip compared to a 12% strikeout rate in 30 games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Augusta. On top of a strong batting eye, Alvarez has pure bat-to-ball skills and a high contact rate, with above-average raw power, though he still needs to learn how to elevate more frequently to tap into that power consistently in game. Some Atlanta officials compare him with Vaughn Grissom offensively, though his defensive game is better at the same age at all three infield positions. Alvarez could be an above-average third baseman with above-average arm strength and he also played 10 games at shortstop in his pro debut.
  
  The Future: Alvarez's well-rounded tool set and excellent makeup and work ethic make him one of the more interesting sleepers in the lower levels of Atlanta's system.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Alvarez helped lead Riverside (Calif.) JC to a state championship in 2022, while hitting .370/.494/.582 with five home runs and establishing himself as one of the top junior college players in the draft class. Amateur scouts were split on him, with some believing he was a top 10 rounds talent and others believing he didn't have a carrying tool for pro ball. The Braves were one of the former clubs and signed 'Nacho' for $500,000 in the fifth round.
  
  Scouting Report: Alvarez displayed his strike-zone discipline in junior college by walking 36 times compared to 16 strikeouts, and that keen batting eye translated to the pro game during his debut season as well. His chase rate was among the lowest of any Braves hitter, and he walked at a 21% clip compared to a 12% strikeout rate in 30 games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Augusta. On top of a strong batting eye, Alvarez has pure bat-to-ball skills and a high contact rate, with above-average raw power, though he still needs to learn how to elevate more frequently to tap into that power consistently in game. Some Atlanta officials compare him with Vaughn Grissom offensively, though his defensive game is better at the same age at all three infield positions. Alvarez could be an above-average third baseman with above-average arm strength and he also played 10 games at shortstop in his pro debut.
  
  The Future: Alvarez's well-rounded tool set and excellent makeup and work ethic make him one of the more interesting sleepers in the lower levels of Atlanta's system.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Alvarez helped lead Riverside (Calif.) JC to a state championship in 2022, while hitting .370/.494/.582 with five home runs and establishing himself as one of the top junior college players in the draft class. Amateur scouts were split on him, with some believing he was a top 10 rounds talent and others believing he didn't have a carrying tool for pro ball. The Braves were one of the former clubs and signed 'Nacho' for $500,000 in the fifth round.
  
  Scouting Report: Alvarez displayed his strike-zone discipline in junior college by walking 36 times compared to 16 strikeouts, and that keen batting eye translated to the pro game during his debut season as well. His chase rate was among the lowest of any Braves hitter, and he walked at a 21% clip compared to a 12% strikeout rate in 30 games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Augusta. On top of a strong batting eye, Alvarez has pure bat-to-ball skills and a high contact rate, with above-average raw power, though he still needs to learn how to elevate more frequently to tap into that power consistently in game. Some Atlanta officials compare him with Vaughn Grissom offensively, though his defensive game is better at the same age at all three infield positions. Alvarez could be an above-average third baseman with above-average arm strength and he also played 10 games at shortstop in his pro debut.
  
  The Future: Alvarez's well-rounded tool set and excellent makeup and work ethic make him one of the more interesting sleepers in the lower levels of Atlanta's system.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.