The Braves are going to give Jim Jarvis a shot at shortstop.
The 25-year-old was called up Thursday ahead of the team’s series finale against the Cardinals at Truist Park. Jarvis made his MLB debut for the Braves earlier this season on May 6 against the Mariners in Seattle, before playing once more May 8 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Thursday would be his home debut.
“Getting to wear (home) white jerseys is going to be exciting. Playing in front of the home fans, really excited for that,” Jarvis said. “And definitely a little less hectic travel day (than the first time being called up).”
The shortstop position has been a problem for the Braves in 2026 due to injuries and a lack of offensive production. Mauricio Dubón has been the team’s best option there, but because right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is out with a hamstring injury, Dubón has been asked to mostly play outfield the last several weeks.
Ha-Seong Kim’s trial at the position could be over. After breaking a finger during a January fall, Kim returned May 12 and has five hits in 73 at-bats since. His advanced fielding metrics have also been relatively poor.
Jorge Mateo had the chance to take the starting shortstop job by the reins, but after hitting .347 in May over 49 at-bats, Mateo was just 4-for-30 in June. Mateo has elite speed on the bases and above-average range and arm strength, but the Braves are desperate for offensive production these days.
So now it’s up to Jarvis, a former Alabama standout who was drafted by the Tigers in 2023 and traded to the Braves in 2025 for pitcher Rafael Montero. Jarvis was hitting .313 with 36 runs driven in, 20 doubles, three triples, 46 walks and 32 stolen bases for Triple-A Gwinnett and is the organization’s No. 29-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com.
In 200 at-bats with the Stripers against right-handed pitchers this season, Jarvis hit .335 and had 25 RBIs.
“The shortstop thing will be day-to-day moving forward,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “I’ll look into the numbers and go from there. (Jarvis) can play other spots in the infield, too. He can spell some other guys, especially against right-handers. It gives us a little bit more flexibility.”
Even though Jarvis is a graduate of Clairemont High School in San Diego, he said he fully understood the Braves’ fan following as an organization. That really hit home when he played for the Crimson Tide from 2020-23. “All of my friends at Alabama are huge Braves fans, and you kind of get to see how much the team means to the region,” Jarvis said.
He suspected many of his college friends will be tuning in Thursday to watch his home debut — or even at Truist Park. That’s where Jarvis’ wife will be, as well as a few family members, to watch him play in person.
Jarvis hadn’t been above Double-A ball before being traded to the Braves’ organization during the ‘25 season. He hit a modest .265 over 83 at-bats for Double-A Columbus ahead of what can be termed a breakout season at Triple-A Gwinnett this year.
“I think it just kind of comes (down) to confidence, and conversations I have with staff about keeping confidence throughout a whole year,” Jarvis said. “And then just being consistent in what you’re doing day by day. I would attribute most of it to just confidence, trusting what I’m doing.”
Said Weiss: “A baseball-y player, if I could use a common term these days. It’s a good bat. He’s a guy, maybe a little bit different than the other players in our lineup. He’s gonna go deep into counts, he can draw walks. It’s a quality (at-bat). At the same time, he can hit, too.
“Defends well, he’s got a good arm, runs pretty well. He can do some things.”
On Thursday, Jarvis was in the lineup and starting at shortstop, wearing the No. 74 and batting ninth. Whether Thursday’s game is the start of Jarvis becoming a fixture in the lineup or not remains to be seen, but the door is open for that to become reality.
“I just (was) told I got called up and I was gonna get an opportunity,” Jarvis said. “I’m just gonna try to make the most of it.”
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