Preston Tucker might best be known for being the older brother of Astros’ phenom prospect Kyle Tucker. The 27-year-old Braves’ left fielder is looking to change his primary recognition in the big leagues by showcasing his own talents now that he is getting to play on a daily basis.
Tucker was a 7thround draft choice in the 2011 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida. The former Gator was a slugger in his college years and reached Triple-A in just his second full season in the minors. He got a call up to The Show in 2015 and played in 98 games. Unfortunately, that number dropped to 48 games a year later.
Preston Tucker is off to a hot start for the Braves
The problem was that there were always other higher rated prospects ahead of Tucker. He was seen more of as a filler until a different guy was ready or could come back from injury (George Springer). There was never an ample opportunity for Tucker to be the everyday player that he could be. In 2017, he was in the minor leagues the entire season and did not play a single game for the team that would eventually win the World Series.
Another outfielder that was a Houston castoff with little to show with the Astros was J.D. Martinez. Houston flat out released him in 2014 before he caught fire with the Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks. Now Martinez is the wealthy power source of a loaded Boston Red Sox lineup.
Houston traded Tucker to the Braves for a player to be named later in the off-season, and the timing was just right. The Astros still have their outfield seemingly covered for the present and future, including the younger Kyle Tucker poised to make his own debut this season. Atlanta has been in the midst of a rebuild for years and has prospects of its own that are waiting in the minor leagues.
This presents a problem for either Preston Tucker or the Braves: Tucker has been off to a hot start playing left field everyday. He is getting on base, hitting for power, his defense isn’t a liability, and he is a bargain on the payroll. Atlanta and its fans have been ogling over the talents of Ronald Acuña Jr. and are waiting for his arrival in the Major Leagues. Without a DH spot to send Tucker to, the only option would be for him to take a seat on the bench and be delegated to pinch hitting duties.
It is too early in the season for the Braves to consider trading right fielder Nick Markakis and creating a new spot for Tucker. Ender Inciarte is a Gold Glove center fielder, not to mention Tucker is better suited for the corners or first base. Of course, Freddie Freeman is the All-Star who would prevent that move from happening.
The end result is that the Braves can either keep Acuña in the minors until Tucker cools off to justify the roster and lineup switch, or they can call up the prospect whenever they feel he is ready and use Tucker as a filler no matter how well or poor he plays. At 27, there is no reason to think Tucker can’t have a career emergence like Martinez did after he switched teams. It is only a week into the 2018 season, but the Braves seem to be trending up, and Tucker could be a reason why Atlanta stays near the top of the standings during the season.
Preston Tucker is viewed as a placeholder for Ronald Acuña Jr.
There is no equivalent of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, but MLB does have a Comeback Player of the Year. Tucker played 128 games in the minors last season, but he also did not get any action at the Major League level. If he were to play out the entire season in the starting lineup for the Braves and continue the tear he has started the season with, it seems he could be a possible candidate for the award this year.
Acuña could be brought up in mid April and still have an extra year of control by the organization, much like the Kris Bryant treatment in 2015. With the season still in its infancy, there is no reason the Braves shouldn’t ride out the early momentum as long as they can before giving Acuña the promotion. At the least, if things go awry, Atlanta can call up the rookie and send Tucker to the bench or the minors or trade him away. That is a guaranteed possibility. Tucker’s success is a bonus and one that the Braves should not throw away to rush the debut of a prospect, even if he is the top rated prospect in all of baseball.
If the Braves want to win, which should start to be their top priority as early as this season, Tucker might be their best bet in left field. The possible platoon with Lane Adams is still in play, although Tucker is a player capable of handling his own against left and right-handed pitchers. He may not catch fire like Martinez did in Detroit, and he may not be as good as Acuña is hyped to be, but Preston Tucker is an Opening Week All-Star. His roster spot should be his to lose and not determined by the alarm clock of someone else’s status.
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