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On March 30, 2023, Orlando Arcia singled in the first run of the 2023 Atlanta Braves season. Hours earlier, he had signed the biggest contract of his young life.
A Venezuelan shortstop with an attitude, Arcia is becoming one of the hottest names on one of baseball's biggest teams. Already a World Series champion, a fate that the 28-year old might be destined to repeat.
A first-time All-Star this season, Arcia is hitting an even .300. With 12 home runs and 42 RBIs in 91 games this season, Arcia is reigniting a career that many feared was lost forever.
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"Orlando Arcia clocking in #ForTheA" - Atlanta Braves
A native of the city of Anaco, in the northern Venezuelan State of Anzoátegui, Arcia got his start in 2010, when he inked a deal as an international free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers. However, it was not until almost six years later that he saw MLB grass.
The brother of fellow MLB player Oswaldo Arcia, Orlando grinded it out in the minor leagues, hitting a mediocre .267 in Triple-A before finally getting the big league call. He made his first real deal in 2019, when he signed a one-year deal worth $2.2 million with the Brewers to avoid arbitration.
Orlando Arcia turned a few heads in his sophomore season of 2017, hitting .277/.324/.407 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. However, after the Brewers acquired shortstop Luis Urias in 2020, Orlando Arcia's favorability at the shortstop position diminshed.
"ORLANDO ARCIA IS BATTING .295 WITH A 116 wRC+ THIS SEASON" - Kevin Keneely
In 2021, Arcia was traded to the Atlanta Braves. After splitting 2021 between Triple-A Gwinnett and the Braves, the team extended a two-year contract worth $3 million. After shortstop Ozzie Albies was injured, Arcia took the leading role at shortstop.
After hitting .244/.316/.416 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs in 67 games, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos began to see Arcia's value. His current deal will see him make $2.3 million this year, followed by $2 million in 2024 and 2025, maturing at $1 million for the 2026 season.
Orlando Arcia has seen a lot of success for a young career
Despite only having played three-and-a-half full seasons in MLB, Arcia is already an All-Star and World Series champ. The Braves enjoy a 10.5 game advantage on the second place Philadelphia Phillies, and are all but certain to make the postseason. Perhaps there, Arcia's brilliance will shine again.
