Page 188 - 2021 ATL Media Guide

CRISTIAN PACHE
FRONT OFFICE • Pache replaced him in Game 1, marking • Also became just the fifth-youngest
his first career postseason plate
center fielder to homer in the playoffs,
appearance…Came on with a 1-2 count
with only Acuña Jr., A. Jones, Mantle and
and worked a walk.
Bryce Harper younger.
• Appeared as a pinch runner or defensive minor league notes
replacement in the first five games. • In his most recent minor-league season, 2019,
• Started Game 2 of the NLCS at 21 years, 329 days
MANAGER & STAFF old, becoming the youngest player to start in split the campaign between Double-A Mississippi
and Triple-A Gwinnett, setting single-season
center field in the League Championship Series
career highs in games played (130), home runs
or World Series since fellow Braves OF Andruw
Jones in 1998.
triples (9) and walks (43)…His nine triples were
• Drove in one run in each of his first four career (12), RBI (61), runs scored (63), doubles (36),
postseason starts, Games 2-6 of the NLCS, tied for the most in the Braves farm system, while
becoming just the second player in baseball he ranked second in doubles and extra-base hits
(57) and fourth in hits (135) and total bases (225).
CRISTIAN PACHE in four straight postseason games…Current • Earned Southern League Mid- and Post-
history, his age or younger, to record an RBI
Season All-Star honors after compiling
Washington OF Juan Soto also drove in one run
an .815 OPS (.278/.340/.474) in 104
in four straight in the 2019 World Series, Games
4-7…Soto’s stretch began with his 14th career
M-Braves’ co-Player of the Year with OF
postseason game. games…Named by the organization as the
Drew Waters.
• His first RBI was a run-scoring double • Also tabbed as Mississippi’s Player of the
in Game 2, the first RBI of his career,
SEASON IN REVIEW regardless of game…Since RBI were • Selected to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures
Month for May, and again for June…Had
seven home runs and 24 RBI with a .991
officially recorded in 1920, he is the first
OPS in 26 games in June.
position player in Braves history to record
an RBI in the postseason before doing so
in the regular season…Pitcher Jorge Sosa
Started in center field for the N.L. squad
did so for Atlanta in Game 3 of the 2005 Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland…
NLDS…No player in the majors had done
and led off…Went 0-for-4.
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT that since Houston’s Lance McCullers • Was a Florida State League Mid-Season All-Star
in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, and
with High-A Florida in 2018…At 19, was the
no position player had done so since
second-youngest player in the FSL on Opening
Colorado’s Seth Smith in Game 4 of the
Day...Promoted to Double-A in August…Was the
2007 NLCS.
• With the RBI, became just the eighth
arrival.
center fielder his age or younger to drive youngest player in the Southern League upon his
• Hit his first professional homer on 4/26
in at least one run in any postseason with Florida…Did not homer in his first
BRAVES HISTORY Famers Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays and • Received a non-roster invitation to Spring
game, joining, among others, Hall-of-
two minor-league seasons, a total of 176
games.
Mickey Mantle.
• Hit his first career homer in Game 3…
Also became the first player in franchise Training that season…Hit two home runs
in the “Braves vs. Future Stars” game at
history to homer in the postseason before Truist Park on 3/27.
doing so in the regular season…Only six • Played in the Arizona Fall League
others in baseball history have done that, following the season…Hit .279 (24-for-86)
OPPONENTS including most recently by Philadelphia’s with nine RBI in 20 games for the Peoria
Joe Blanton in Game 4 of the 2008 World
Javelinas…Named to the Rising Stars and
Series…Only two other non-pitchers are
on this list. All-Prospect Teams.
• Named a South Atlantic League Mid-Season
• At 21 years, 330 days, was the fourth- All-Star in 2017 with Single-A Rome…Also earned
youngest Braves player to homer in the the club’s Player of the Year honors from the
postseason…Andruw Jones did so three organization…Led the team in games (119), runs
MISCELLANEOUS 188 Acuña Jr. and Brian McCann each did so (60), hits (132), triples (8) and stolen bases (32)…
times at this age or younger and Ronald
Hit .281.
twice.
2021 ATLANTA BRAVES MEDIA GUIDE