Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez thinks Juan Francisco will get a chance to compete for the third base job next season, according to David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
O'Brien also writes that Martin Prado could be an option at the hot corner, moving in from the outfield. The team could also decide to look outside the organization to fill the position.
The Braves have a hole to fill at third base with the retirement of Chipper Jones, who played 1,993 games at third base since his 1995 rookie season.
Francisco played 81 games with the Reds over three seasons before coming to the Braves in 2012, and he saw the most extensive action of his career this season, hitting .234/.278/.432 with nine home runs in 205 plate appearances while playing 49 games at third base, including 42 starts.
Prado, who has spent his entire seven-year career with the Braves, has played roughly the same amount of time at second base (209 games), third base (191 games) and left field (222 games) in his career. Whether he plays in left field or at third base will depend on the organization's confidence in Francisco and/or the talent available to the Braves in free agency.
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