Caleb Durbin, a highly-touted New York Yankees prospect, is set to participate in tonight’s Fall League title game. He set the AFL single-season stolen base record with 29, and folks, that swing looks awfully good.

The thing is… he used to be in the Atlanta Braves farm system.

Alex traded this dude for Lucas Luetge. Yikes lol https://t.co/wxVYOjQMc7

— Beaneater Buzz (@BeaneaterB) November 16, 2024

The Braves traded Durbin in December of 2022 as part of a package to acquire left-handed reliever Lucas Luetge. Luetge appeared in 12 games for Atlanta during the 2023 campaign, closing five games. Luetge’s 4.86 ERA and 1.76 WHIP were not ideal, made worse by his subsequent absence from the major leagues. That was the rare Alex Anthopoulos misstep.

Durbin is a talented infielder and could crack the MLB radar sooner than later for a Yankees team in need of middle infield depth. That said, if there’s a silver lining for Atlanta fans, it’s that the Braves have less of an excuse to not splurge on Willy Adames this winter. Shortstop is a critical position of need for Atlanta and there isn’t enough talent in the farm system to bank on internal growth, especially after Nacho Alvarez failed to deliver in his sparse opportunities last season.

So, in a sense, this bungled trade might be what delivers Atlanta its biggest free agent addition in years.

The Braves are built to contend for a World Series right now. We can chalk up that dreadful 2024 campaign to injuries and move on. Sure, the Braves needed more from Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and the like, but Atlanta would’ve been a far more imposing team in October if not for the onslaught of injuries holding them back.

We know what this Braves team is capable of at full strength. What Alex Anthopoulos can’t do, however, is use the injuries excuse as a reason to avoid major offseason expenses. The best teams operate aggressively in free agency and stack talent. Ask the Phillies, the Mets, and of course, the reigning world champs in LA. If the Braves get cheap, they leave themselves vulnerable to another middling campaign and premature postseason exit.

Willy Adames is the natural big-ticket target for the Braves. Shortstop is the lone point of weakness in the infield. Orlando Arcia just isn’t up to par and Adames, well, he is. The Milwaukee Brewers All-Star posted .251/.331/.462 splits last season, rocketing 32 home runs and picking up 21 stolen bases, all while providing above-average defense at a high-leverage position. He’s the rare five-tool star, and he would give the Braves’ offense the boost it so desperately needed last season.

At 29 years old, Adames should have plenty left in the tank. The Braves can comfortably run up the tab over five, six, or seven years without fear of Adames dramatically falling off. Baseball is unpredictable and shortstops can age in complicated ways, but Adames is a special athlete with the sort of well-rounded skill set Atlanta can invest in with confidence.

So, folks, this is an important lesson. Mistakes happen, and sometimes, mistakes are really just precursors to major victories. Now, let’s see if Anthopoulos can deliver on the Adames front.