Could Braves be considering a major position change for Nacho Alvarez?

We may have our first significant story of Spring Training, as former top prospect Nacho Alvarez reported to camp with the pitchers and catchers this week and was even seen participating in catching drills.

Nacho Alvarez … catcher? pic.twitter.com/J0qrHnJAPu

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) February 10, 2026

Now, this could be nothing. This is the time of year when teams try different things and see what sticks, but it will be interesting to see if Alvarez gets opportunities behind the plate once Spring Training games begin. If he proves he can handle the position defensively, it simply gives him more versatility to find his way back onto the major-league roster.

One of the biggest issues Alvarez faces is finding a place to play. He hasn’t shown quite enough to stick at shortstop to this point, and the rest of the Braves infield is not going to be replaced unless injuries strike.

At catcher, however, there’s more uncertainty in Atlanta behind Drake Baldwin. Sean Murphy is coming off major hip surgery and is expected to miss the first 4–6 weeks of the season, creating an open competition for one of the final roster spots that Alvarez could potentially work his way into.

Injuries have also been a constant for Murphy since the Braves acquired him in a trade with the Athletics. So even though he’s expected to be cleared at some point in May, there’s no guarantee he’ll stay healthy, making it wise for the Braves to experiment as they try to build more organizational depth at catcher.

Again, it’s the first day of Spring Training. These kinds of moves are often a means to an end, but it does appear the Braves are trying something new with Alvarez, and his willingness to switch positions is something that could help him find a more permanent role with the organization.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

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