Braves’ Eli White immortalized as piece of MLB trivia

“That’s really cool to be the first person to hit that homer here,” White said. “So something that’s good trivia is always cool to be part of. That’s super special.”

A Clemson product, maybe White mistook all the Tennessee orange in the crowd as support for his Tigers. An inning after his second blast, though, the stadium played “Rocky Top” to clear up any confusion.

Jokes aside, it was only appropriate that the short-handed Braves were uplifted by one of the most obscure names on their roster; a player many of the 91,000 attendees probably didn’t know much, if anything, about.

White is an unheralded utilityman who’s proven valuable to the Braves. He’s played every outfield spot. He can also play infield in a pinch. His speed makes him a great asset defensively and on the bases.

“It’s really awesome to kind of be on the big stage here and shine like that,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of White. “He’s just one of those guys who’s really easy to root for. He’s a great kid. Great family man, father, the whole thing. He’s another one who just stays ready and knows his role, keeps himself ready and whenever you call on him, he’s ready to go.”

Consider White a true Renaissance man. And while he doesn’t pack much consistent power, even his home runs are versatile.

White has gone deep six times this season — in five different states. He’s now homered in Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin, California and Tennessee (twice).

In fact, White has 16 career homers spread across 11 ballparks and nine states (plus Canada).

A little more trivia involving White:

- He was born in Greenville, South Carolina, about 144 miles from Truist Park. He was drafted by the Reds out of high school but opted to attend Clemson, where he majored in financial management.

- White was initially part of the A’s organization but was included in a three-team deal in December 2018 that sent him to Texas. That trade sent outfielder Jurickson Profar, White’s current teammate, to Tampa Bay.

- This Tennessee memory sure beats one of his other unforgettable ones. While playing for the Nashville Sounds, then the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, White suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after smacking into an outfield wall in August 2019. He recovered and made his MLB debut just over a year later.

Still, White has love for this state.

“Tennessee has been an awesome place throughout my baseball career, getting to play in Nashville that year and it’s not too far from home,” White said. “It feels like home here. Just a super special experience all around.”

- White hit his first and second career major-league homers in the same game off Astros pitchers Zack Greinke and Cristian Javier.

- But due to offensive struggles and injuries, White was dealt to the Braves in December 2022 for cash considerations. White’s career in parts of three seasons before joining the Braves: A .185 average with a .556 OPS (130 games). His major-league production with the Braves: A .244 average and .660 OPS (116 games).

Maybe the best nugget of them all: Braves enthusiasts can declare White a highlight of an otherwise mostly depressing campaign that has them 47-63.

White’s two homers in Bristol are one of the team’s best moments of the year, perhaps only behind outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. homering off the first pitch he saw in his triumphant return.

And now White will forever be etched in MLB, Braves and Tennessee baseball history.