He’s sure to be a trivia question for the sickos years from now, because outfielder Josê Azocar pulled off a rare feat in his two weeks with Atlanta in late Spring: he became one of two players to play in the outfield and
get only one plate appearance with the Braves, joining Scott Schebler in 2020 (at least according to Baseball-Reference).
How acquired?
The Braves signed Azocar on May 29, 2025, after he was designated for assignment by the New York Mets and elected free agency. Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an international free agent in 2012, Azocar made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 2022 and spent three season with the team, playing in 214 games, before being claimed of waivers by the Mets in early September 2024. After the Braves cut ties with him, he ended up back with the Mets in their minor league system.
What were the expectations?
Azocar was added to the big league roster by the Braves when reserve outfielder Stuart Fairchild hit the Injured List with a dislocated finger on May 30. When Fairchild returned on June 16, Azocar was designated for assignment.
If the expectations for Azocar were to sit on the bench, then it was mission accomplished for the 29-year-old in Atlanta.
Azocar had a defense-fueled 0.6 fWAR in 216 PAs in 2022, but had been below replacement in a tiny sample since. Like many fringy 26th men, he can’t really hit, and his defense and baserunning aren’t going to guarantee him a roster spot. He was essentially projected to be replacement-level-if-he-even-played-in-the-majors and that’s pretty much what happened.
2025 results
With Atlanta, Azocar got into two games. once as a pinch-runner for Marcell Ozuna in extra innings (as the “ghost” runner) and once as a pinch-hitter for Ronald Acuña, Jr. in a blow-out loss to the Colorado Rockies.
With the Mets, he fared a bit better in limited playing time, hitting .278/.350/.278 in 20 plate appearances across 12 games prior to joining Atlanta. He actually had a .357 xwOBA in those 20 PAs with the Mets, but that wasn’t enough for him to stick around given his track record.
What went right?
Azocar can tell his grandkids that he once pinch-hit for fellow countryman and baseball legend Ronald Acuña, Jr.
What went wrong?
After his action with Atlanta, Azocar didn’t make it back to the big leagues in 2025. He also didn’t really get a chance to do so, but it was the second time in his last three seasons that his combination of defense and baserunning didn’t really do much to suggest he should stick around if he wasn’t going to hit. Here’s his only out in his only PA as a Brave, on a hanging slider:
2026 outlook
Azocar doesn’t have much power, with only 49 professional home runs in 12 seasons (only two of which were in the big leagues). He does have 199 stolen bases between his major league and minor league career, and despite the fact that he will turn 30 next Spring, chances are his ability to play all three outfield positions and serve as a pinch-runner, will likely keep him on the roster fringes of the Mets — or some other team — next season. He’s one of a few dozen generic fifth/sixth outfielder types floating around, but he’s losing footspeed as he ages, which makes it easy to find a dedicated speedster to give a roster spot to over him.
