Who is the Braves' Best Shortstop Ever? Let's Vote

No position in Atlanta splits a room quite like shortstop. Do you vote for the glove or the bat? The Rookie of the Year who turned singles into triples, the human highlight reel who threw out runners from the outfield grass, or the hometown kid who was standing on the dirt when the 2021 World Series ended? From Denis Menke in the franchise's first Atlanta summer of 1966 straight through to Orlando Arcia today, the six-hole has been home to All-Stars, Gold Glovers, cult heroes, and one of the best defensive players the sport has ever seen.

Tap up to three players below to build your ballot. Your first tap is your #1. Then cast your vote and share your ranking with Braves Country.

Shortstop in Atlanta: Sixty Years at the Toughest Position on the Diamond

Shortstop is the position that decides how a defense feels. Get it right and everything around it looks easier: the pitching staff throws with more confidence, the third baseman cheats a step, ground balls in the hole turn into outs instead of arguments. Get it wrong and even a good team looks sloppy. That is why the debate over the best Atlanta Braves shortstop of all time never really ends. There is no single stat that settles it, and the candidates make their cases in completely different currencies.

The Atlanta chapter opened in 1966 with Denis Menke, who started at short for the franchise's first two seasons in Georgia before being traded to the Houston Astros. Sonny Jackson came back the other way in that deal and held the job from 1968 through 1970, bringing speed and range to a team still figuring out its new home. The 1970s were a revolving door: Marty Perez, Craig Robinson, Larvell Blanks, Darrel Chaney, Pepe Frías, and Luis Gómez all took turns, none of them lasting more than a few seasons.

The 1980s: Rafael Ramírez Steadies the Ship

Stability finally arrived with Rafael Ramírez, who started at shortstop from 1981 through 1987 and made the National League All-Star team in 1984. Those Braves teams had their peaks and their long valleys, but Ramírez was a constant in the middle of the infield for seven seasons, which in the context of the decade counts as an era. Andrés Thomas followed in 1988 and 1989 as the franchise bottomed out and quietly stockpiled the talent that was about to change everything.

The 1990s Dynasty: Blauser and Belliard

Jeff Blauser held the job from 1990 through 1997, which means he was on the field for worst-to-first, for the pennants, and for the 1995 World Series title. He made two All-Star teams and won a Silver Slugger in 1997, and he did something Braves shortstops rarely did before him: he hit. Alongside him, Rafael Belliard became one of the most beloved role players in team history, the late-inning defensive replacement whose glove was so trusted that his lack of offense stopped being a punchline and became part of the folklore. Walt Weiss took over in 1998 and 1999, a veteran free agent signing who provided steady defense and on-base skills while the franchise waited on the next wave.

The 2000s: Furcal's Arm and Everything After

That wave arrived in the form of Rafael Furcal, who jumped straight from Single-A to the major leagues in 2000 and won National League Rookie of the Year. He was electric from the leadoff spot, a legitimate stolen base threat with one of the strongest infield arms anyone in Atlanta had ever seen, and he posted roughly 17.9 WAR across his Braves tenure through 2005. Edgar Rentería came over in a trade with the Boston Red Sox and gave the club two solid offensive seasons in 2006 and 2007, making the All-Star team in his first year in Atlanta. Yunel Escobar held the position from 2008 into 2010 before being traded to Toronto in the deal that brought Álex González to Atlanta for the stretch run.

The Modern Era: Simmons, Swanson, Arcia

Then came Andrelton Simmons, and the conversation about Braves shortstops changed permanently. From 2012 to 2015 he was widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive shortstops in baseball history, winning two Gold Gloves and a Fielding Bible Award in Atlanta. He turned routine plays into art and impossible plays into routine, and even fans who wanted more from his bat will tell you they have never seen anything like it. Erick Aybar bridged 2016 until Dansby Swanson, the former No. 1 overall pick, was called up to debut in August.

Swanson grew into the job from 2017 through 2022, and grew into a favorite. The Marietta kid who went to Vanderbilt became an All-Star and a Gold Glove winner, and he was a core piece of the 2021 World Series championship team. When he left in free agency, Orlando Arcia took over in 2023 and answered immediately, earning a starting nod in the All-Star Game in his first full season as the primary shortstop.

So Who Is the Best Braves Shortstop of All Time?

The case for Furcal is impact: Rookie of the Year, elite baserunning, the best arm, and the highest peak value of any Atlanta shortstop. The case for Simmons is that defense at shortstop is the whole point of the position, and no Brave has ever played it better. The case for Swanson is that he was the best all-around version of the job in the modern era and he was there when the trophy came home. The case for Blauser is eight seasons at the center of a dynasty. The case for Ramírez is that he did it every day for seven years when nobody else could. And if your answer is Rafael Belliard because of what he meant to those 1990s teams, nobody in Braves Country is going to tell you that you're wrong out loud.

That's what the ballot above is for. Pick your three, cast your vote, and go argue about it.