With the trade deadline approaching, the Atlanta Braves face a difficult decision: sacrifice part of their future for another championship push or protect the young talent that could keep them competitive for years. Alex Lodise sits at the center of that decision.
With just three days until the trade deadline, the National League East leading Atlanta Braves will either need to push all their chips in for another postseason run or hold on to their most valuable young assets in hopes they develop into players who can help the organization remain an annual contender for years to come.
The Braves find themselves in a perplexing situation: do they drain their 21st-ranked farm system even further to make a World Series run, or protect their top assets and continue building for the future? Regardless of the direction Atlanta chooses, No. 5 prospect Alex Lodise is likely to be part of the discussion.
Lodise, a former Florida State standout shortstop, was drafted 60th overall in the 2025 draft and is currently playing with the Braves' High-A affiliate, the Rome Emperors. This season, the 22-year-old is slashing .259/.344/.477 with an OPS of .821 in his first full year in the Braves organization
A native of St. Johns, Florida, Lodise attended Bartram Trail High School before beginning his college career at North Florida, where he set the school freshman record for home runs (16) and RBI (63). After only one season with the Ospreys, he transferred to Florida State and started every game in 2024.
During his junior season, Lodise's play took him from a top college player to one of MLB's top draft prospects. That season was highlighted by a walk-off grand slam against rival Florida that not only gave his Seminoles the victory but was the hit needed to complete the cycle. He also earned Baseball America's Midseason Player of the Year honors.
As a prospect, Lodise received scouting grades of 50 for his hit, power, run, and arm, along with a 55-fielding grade and an overall grade of 50. MLB scouts evaluate prospects using the 20–80 scouting scale, where a grade of 50 represents major league average, 60 is above average, and grades of 70–80 are elite ability.
“An average runner, Lodise moves well enough to cover ground at shortstop. He’s good on the move and throwing from different angles,” the MLB.com scouting report wrote. “If he can refine things at the plate to get to that impact on the pro side, he has the chance to grow into an everyday shortstop at the highest level.”
Lodise's highest grade comes in the field (55), projecting him as an above-average defensive player at one of the hardest positions to play. Shortstop requires a player to cover a large portion of the field, make powerful, accurate throws from different spots on the diamond, and have poise to turn double plays under pressure. Having a fielding grade above average projects Lodise to be a potential above-average major league shortstop
Lodise's profile points to a player who can be an asset defensively while providing a bat that won't be a liability for the Braves. Overall, he projects as a potential everyday major league player.
Regardless of the direction the Braves decide to go in at the deadline, Lodise has the talent to become a key contributor at the major league level, wherever he plays.
