Questions surround the Atlanta Braves regarding the designated hitter role heading into the offseason. Marcell Ozuna is a free agent since his contract expired, opening the door to another player stepping into the position.
Ozuna has played for the Braves since 2020, serving in the DH role since the National League adopted it full-time in 2022. Recently, general manager Alex Anthopoulos has stated that the team isn’t fully past Ozuna and could potentially welcome him back on the team. That said, the Braves are in the market for a designated hitter.
“We haven’t closed the door on guys like [Marcell Ozuna],” he said in a press conference, “but we just don’t know. If someone who is a pure DH is the right move, we’ll make it. But right now, we’re not committed to anything.”
If the front office decides Ozuna’s time with the team is up, they’ll have to pivot. They have their share of options, where it’s in-house or an addition via free agency or trade.
The easy answer is the solution the Braves tried last season: Using a catcher as a designated hitter. On days that veteran Sean Murphy sat behind the dish, 2025 Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin often stepped up to the plate in Ozuna’s spot, and vice versa. The Braves could continue this trend into 2026, but there could be other in-house solutions.
Other options certainly exist, though. Atlanta Braves on SI’s Harrison Smajovits suggested the Braves use Jurickson Profar as a designated hitter due to his poor defense if they’re able to acquire another outfield bat, with Byron Buxton being the example.
The new outfielder would take over Profar’s spot in left field or swap with Michael Harris II in center field. This would likely only happen in a scenario where the Braves were to choose to move on from one of their catchers, specifically Murphy.
Of course, if the Braves want to move Profar to the designated hitter spot, that opens the door for quite a few free agent outfielders to fill his spot, not just Buxton.
If the Braves want to keep their lineup consistent, though, they could also pick up a player with experience as a full-time DH. Similar to Marcell Ozuna, some players have great hitting metrics but have struggled in the field recently, leading to their utilization as solely a hitter.
The top full-time DH option on the market is Kyle Schwarber, who finished second in National League MVP voting behind Shohei Ohtani. That addition would require the Braves to shell out a massive contract. With other additions needing to be made, even with the desire to increase payroll, it may not be an option.
Ryan O’Hearn, who’s also now a free agent after an an All-Star season split between the Padres and Orioles. He is certainly a viable option if the Braves ultimately don’t re-sign Ozuna or stick with rotation catchers at the position.
Of course, if the Braves want to pick up a full-time DH, Marcell Ozuna, who’s been in the lineup half a decade now, is available for the team to grab if Anthopolos decides that the door for a full-time DH is, in fact, still open.
