Strange But True: Jorge Mateo Was A Higher Ranked Prospect Than Aaron Judge
The Braves announced their lineup for the series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, and there are no changes at shortstop — with Jorge Mateo once again getting the nod over Ha-Seong Kim. There’s no place like home! ????#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/MN8TuBni1Z — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 2, 2026 Walt Weiss said last week that he’d be […]
The Braves announced their lineup for the series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, and there are no changes at shortstop — with Jorge Mateo once again getting the nod over Ha-Seong Kim.
There’s no place like home!
#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/MN8TuBni1Z
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 2, 2026
Walt Weiss said last week that he’d be taking shortstop day-by-day, essentially playing the hot hand — and it’s hard to find anyone hotter right now than Jorge Mateo.
He homered in both games against the Reds over the weekend and has hit safely in five straight. On the season, he now owns a .316 batting average with four home runs, an .876 OPS, and seven steals.
Mateo’s track record suggests this can’t be sustainable forever. Over his seven-year career, he’s never posted an OPS better than .670, and even that came back in 2021 over just 89 games. Some regression is likely coming — however, there was once a time when Jorge Mateo was the top prospect in the Yankees organization, ranked just ahead of three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge.
His career obviously didn’t pan out anything like Judge’s. He was included in the trade that netted the Yankees Sonny Gray, then dealt again to the Padres before he ever made his MLB debut. His longest stint in the majors came with the Orioles, where he spent five seasons — only two of which he was an everyday player.
That speaks to the volatility of prospects, but it also speaks to the raw talent Mateo has always possessed. Maybe the Braves are catching lightning in a bottle, or maybe this is a player finally feeling comfortable and making the most of a perfect opportunity. Whatever it is, the Braves appear ready to find out. As long as he keeps hitting, he’s going to be the club’s starting shortstop.
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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)
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