Jesús was acquired via a trade from the Houston Astros for cash considerations on August 7th.
There were not any expectations for Jesús, given the fact that he was acquired during the season! He was acquired for depth in the organization due to multiple injuries in the organization at the middle infield positions and at 26 with flashes at the plate, the Braves acquired him to provide that stability.
Jesùs would play in 95 games with the Houston Astros Triple-A team where he hit .263/.353/.460 and a 112 wRC+ in the hitter friendly Pacific Coast League. Upon joining the organization, Jesús was huge – hitting a robust .367/.404/.633, and with the struggles with injury and production in Atlanta, immediately became a name that fans were often talking about potentially finding some time in Atlanta. Unfortunately that did not come for Jesùs, and he did cool down some, hitting .136/.224/.159 in his next 12 games. He would regain his form again in the seasons final 13 games, where he hit .261/.404/.348, showing a huge uptick in on base, but finding his power drop significantly. All in all, Jesús would make 37 starts for the Stripers where he would hit .259/.348/.388 – almost in line with his PCL numbers, but a decrease in power production.
What Went Right?
Overall, it was a strong season or Jesús. While he still hasn’t had that major league chance, he had a solid .813 OPS in 95 games with the Astros organization, and a .737 OPS for the Braves in the seasons final 37 games. He showcased good power to all parts of the field, often driving the ball to both gaps and connecting on 16 homers on the season. He showed good versatility – playing both second and shortstop and while he wasn’t groundbreaking at the position, he showed he was definitely strong enough to handle both positions if needed.
What Went Wrong?
The stretches of play where he struggled to hit the ball, and get on base, or hit for power would ultimately put a damper on what was a relatively successful season. Even I was surprised to see his slugging percentage dipped to .388 overall during his stint with Gwinnett because he started his Braves career with such a big flash of power, after hitting 12 homers for the Astros organization.
2026 Outlook
Jesús is a minor league free agent so his tenure with the Braves may be over. However, with the lack of positional depth in the high levels, and with his track record of production at the level, retaining him might be in the best interest for the Braves. He would provide that depth, and allow them to have a backup should there be an issues at short or second in 2026.