Atlanta Braves voted top free agent destination by MLB players

If money and rosters weren’t a factor, which team would MLB players most want to play for?

While many might think that historic teams like the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox would be at the top of this list, the best team turns out to be the Atlanta Braves.

According to The Athletic, which surveyed over 100 players and received 86 responses, the Braves came in first with 12.7% of the votes collected from the recipients. The Boston Red Sox came in second, followed closely by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers. You can see the full list on The Athletic.

So why do many players want to sign with the Atlanta Braves? According to the article, two main factors contributed to this selection. The first was the stadium, as many players who selected the Braves mentioned their affinity for Truist Park, with one mentioning how much he loved it.

Another reason why many people were selected was the location.

The Atlanta Braves are the team from the south. With no other teams in the surrounding states of South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee and being the only team from Georgia, Atlanta has the entire market to itself. Which means many players who grew up there are fans. And the Atlanta metro area is a hotbed of youth baseball. This leads them to want to return home to play for a childhood favorite.

The Braves players themselves are one of the best defenders on the club. With young players like Ozzie Albies, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Austin Riley breaking into the Braves and signing long-term contracts, it signals to the rest of the league that Atlanta is a great place to play.

After winning their sixth straight NL East division title and winning 104 games in 2023, if the Atlanta Braves can convince some of these players to sign with them, the streak of division titles and immense numbers offensives are expected to continue well into the future. The one that stays bright.