Braves mulling Mallex’s role for 2017 season

ATLANTA — Mallex Smith missed most of the past season’s second half with a fractured thumb and then went to the Mexican Winter League only to be released just a few weeks later. The Braves outfielder is now playing in Puerto Rico to make up for lost time and prepare for an unknown role for the upcoming season.

With Matt Kemp, Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis set to serve as the starting outfielders, the Braves must determine whether to enter the upcoming season with Smith as a backup in Atlanta or an everyday player for Triple-A Gwinnett. The first option could provide immediate late-inning benefits and the latter would seemingly best satisfy the long-term interests of the talented, but still raw outfielder.

“[Smith] is a talented player, but he still needs more development,” Braves president of baseball operations John Hart said. “At the same point, Mallex is interesting because he can do a lot of things for you. He can [play] all three outfield positions and he can run. But the question we are asking ourselves is, ‘Are we doing him a disservice and ultimately ourselves a disservice by making him a role or bench player?'”

Assuming the Braves will enter the season with an eight-man bullpen, they have to plan for a four-man bench. Three of these backup roles will be filled by the backup catcher (likely Anthony Recker), whichever member of the Jace Peterson/Sean Rodriguez duo isn’t in that game’s lineup and quite possibly Chase …

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