Connection Between Braves and Mauricio Dubón Deeper Than You Think

The Atlanta Braves brought in a shortstop whose history with the team goes much further back than most players on the team

Heading to the Braves is a big deal for Dubon | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

From a roster perspective, Mauricio Dubón's relationship with the Atlanta Braves goes back to November. Beyond that, his bond with the team goes way back.

Even back in his home country, Honduras, he had a similar childhood experience that many baseball fans had multiple decades in the United States. The Braves were on the TBS station. That was your option for baseball. When that's the team that's always on, that becomes the team you latch on to.

"Everybody grew up a Braves fan in Honduras," he said on Saturday, via 11Alive. "My brother's a Braves fan. When the trade happened, there was a lot of emotion back home."

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He grew up idolizing Chipper and Andruw Jones, the Hall of Fame rotation staff with Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine. He remembers them all. It made it that much more special when he got to meet Chipper Jones back in 2023.

"There's a lot of history here, you know?" he said. "I'm excited about it."

While it isn't under the most ideal circumstances, he gets to be the opening day shortstop for his childhood team. While the narrative of the hometown kid is a more popular one, such as with first baseman Matt Olson, it reflects the wide reach the Braves had.

They didn't have to be your hometown team. They still managed to be an entirely different country's team. It's just as special of a moment for him as someone who grew up in Georgia. He's taking it all in, and there is something special about getting to do that while it's still a fresh experience.

He was acquired by the Braves in a trade early in the offseason in exchange for shortstop Nick Allen. From the jump, he was the presumed starting shortstop, unless they were able to lock down somebody else.

They re-signed Ha-Seong Kim, but Dubón still had his place on the team in a utility role. When Kim gets back, that role still awaits him. Any role you get to have with your childhood team is likely one you're going to take and run with.

Dubón comes in with some hardware to his name. He has two Gold Glove awards, both of which came at the utility position in 2023 and 2025. He also brings championship experience, winning the World Series with the Astros in 2022. He's shown he can be a solid contact bat during postseason play.

For an organization that also has championship aspirations, he may just fit right in. If does, it's a dream come true.