The Braves lost some key depth in the middle infield when they chose to part ways with former All-Star Orlando Arcia as part of the move to bring Ronald Acuña Jr. back to the roster.
Nick Allen has held down the starting shortstop role for much of the season, but an injury to either him or Ozzie Albies would leave Atlanta short-handed in the infield.
Fortunately, that concern has eased somewhat after GM Alex Anthopoulos made a deal with the Texas Rangers to acquire infielder Jonathan Ornelas for cash considerations. Ornelas was promptly assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
The #Braves today acquired INF Jonathan Ornelas from the Texas Rangers in exchange for cash considerations, and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 24, 2025
Braves acquire Jonathan Ornelas to help with infield depth after Orlando Arcia DFA
Ornelas, a third-round selection by the Rangers in the 2018 draft, is about to turn 25. Over the past three years, he’s had brief stints with Texas, never appearing in more than 18 games in a single season. As recently as 2023, he was ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects. A versatile defender, Ornelas has spent most of his time in the middle infield but has experience across the diamond.
At the major league level, his career batting line sits at .184/.245/.224. This year, he logged 121 plate appearances with Texas’ Triple-A affiliate, Round Rock, before being picked up by Atlanta. His offensive output there has been underwhelming, with an OPS below .600, suggesting limited upside. He’s primarily viewed as a depth option.
Atlanta acquired Ornelas to shore up their infield depth, especially in light of top prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. being placed on the 60-day IL with a wrist injury, which has left the organization thin in the middle infield at the upper minors.
While giving up Orlando Arcia as infield depth may seem like a loss, it’s a small price to pay in exchange for the return of a player like former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. This acquisition of Ornelas represents another low-risk move by Alex Anthopoulos aimed at maintaining organizational depth.
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