Los Angeles Angels interim general manager John Mozeliak continues to stay active ahead of the trade deadline. After sending José Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays early Monday morning, Mozeliak quickly completed another deal, this time reaching an agreement with the Atlanta Braves.
The Angels traded veteran left-handed reliever Brent Suter to Atlanta in exchange for infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. The 23-year-old Alvarez has yet to appear in the majors this season, but he gained valuable experience with the Braves in 2025, appearing in 58 games after making his MLB debut in 2024.
Alvarez climbed through Atlanta’s minor-league system at an impressive pace. The Braves selected him with the 155th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft and signed him for just under $500,000. He appeared in 30 minor-league games that year before making the jump to High-A the following season.
His rapid development continued in 2024. After only 48 games at Double-A, Atlanta promoted Alvarez to Triple-A. He then needed fewer than 300 plate appearances with the Gwinnett Stripers before receiving his first opportunity in the majors.
Alvarez struggled offensively during his brief MLB stint in 2024, collecting only three hits in 30 at-bats across eight games. However, his value comes from his ability to make consistent contact and provide dependable defense.
At Triple-A this season, Alvarez has posted a modest .326 slugging percentage while striking out in just 17.8% of his plate appearances. The former highly regarded prospect has also established himself as a reliable defensive infielder, particularly at third base. In 2025, he recorded five Defensive Runs Saved and two Outs Above Average at the position.
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