Gold Gloves, getting hits: Ender Inciarte can be difference for Atlanta Braves
By Seth Carter
The Atlanta Braves’ gold glove centerfielder looks to rebound from injuries in 2020. How valuable will Ender’s bounceback be to the Braves?
Current Atlanta Braves‘ CF-Ender Inciarte was signed as an amateur free agent in 2008 by the Diamondbacks. Interestingly enough, in 2012 the Phillies swiped him from Arizona in the Rule 5 Draft after he hit .307 and stole 46 bases.
Just five months later, the Phillies designated him for assignment to make room for Ezequiel Carrera on the 40-man roster. Inciarte was returned to the Diamondbacks.
Can you imagine if your employer had the ability to do this to you? You are working at an insurance company in Arizona one day, then that night at your family dinner you have to inform everyone that another company selected you in the Rule 5 Adjuster’s draft and you have to be in Philadelphia in a couple of weeks.
So Inciarte returned to Arizona’s Double-A system where he hit .281 and stole 43 more bags in 2013. They weren’t silly enough to leave him unprotected the following off-season. It was becoming clear that Inciarte was on his way to the major leagues.
He made his major league debut in 2014 where he hit .278 and stole 19 bases in 118 games. Even more impressive for the centerfielder, in just 114 games he posted 20 defensive runs saved.
According to Fangraphs, since 2014 Inciarte is fifth in defensive runs saved and eighth in UZR among outfielders.
Since 2014, Inciarte has finished inside the top six in total defensive rWAR.
Between 2016-2018 he was recognized for his phenomenal defensive play with three consecutive gold gloves.
On December 19, 2015, Inciarte learned that he would play his 2016-season in a Braves uniform. He was traded along with Aaron Blair and Dansby Swanson in exchange for Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier.