When the Atlanta Braves traded for Matt Olson, one of the prospects they dealt to the Oakland Athletics was catcher Shea Langeliers. The 2019 first-rounder never suited up for the Braves in any regular or postseason game.
It turns out that he didn’t leave the organization empty-handed. Langeliers revealed that he received a World Series ring when Atlanta won it all in the 2021 season.
“2021, I was in Double-A [Mississippi] the whole year. We actually won the [Southern League] championship, so I have that ring too. Got called up to Triple-A [Gwinnett] for the last week of the 10-game postseason.”
Following the Triple-A season, Langeliers was promoted to the Braves’ taxi squad during their postseason run.
“I think it was me, I think it was Cristian Pache was the one who ended up getting activated, and then Josh Tomlin. So we just traveled with the team, we were there just in case, and then ultimately I was lucky enough to get a World Series ring.”
Shea Langeliers Left Atlanta With More Rings Than Games Played
Unfortunately for Shea Langeliers, the World Series celebration would be his final moments in a Braves uniform. The club had lost franchise legend Freddie Freeman in free agency and needed a solution to replace him. He, along with Pache and two other prospects were dealt to the Athletics for Matt Olson. The trade came after negotiations with another free-agent first baseman fell through.
Recapping the former first-rounder’s tenure with the club, he has more World Series rings (1) than games played for the franchise (0). Even with that latter mark considered, Langeliers will forever be etched into Braves history because of that ring.
The Braves certainly don’t regret the Matt Olson trade, especially with how it’s turned out. Immediately after executing the trade, the club extended Olson to an eight-year, $168 million deal.
Since becoming a Brave, Olson has started every game at first base. He owns a .263/.353/.509 slash with 161 home runs and a 135 wRC+ and 19.4 fWAR in his first 704 games. The left-handed slugger finished fourth in the 2023 National League MVP race and won his first National League Gold Glove in 2025.
One consequence of that deal is that the Braves swung a deal to land Sean Murphy the following offseason. William Contreras ended up being the biggest departure in that three-team swap, a deal that the Milwaukee Brewers came out as the clear winner of. However, the recent emergence of Drake Baldwin has taken the sting out of dealing two future All-Star backstops in their current contention window.
Shea Langeliers Thriving With the Athletics After Trade
GettyShea Langeliers has emerged as one of the top power hitters in MLB with the Athletics, with 95 home runs since the start of the 2023 season.
The Braves targeted Shea Langeliers as an impact talent behind the plate when they selected him No. 9 overall in a loaded 2019 draft class. Some of the notable talents they passed on include Corbin Carroll, Gunnar Henderson (twice), and George Kirby. However, they would not go empty-handed from that draft, selecting starting center fielder Michael Harris II in the third round.
While he didn’t have the opportunity to show it in Atlanta, he’s made a name for himself with the upstart Athletics. Langeliers broke out with the A’s in 2025, hitting .277 with 31 home runs and a 136 wRC+.
He’s carried that breakout into 2026, establishing himself as one of the premier offensive threats at the position. He’s currently tied with Baldwin for the most fWAR at the catcher position, with both at 2.3.
The former Brave is on track to receive his first All-Star honors this season and should be the starter for the American League. The Detroit Tigers‘ Dillon Dingler is the only other player at the position in the AL with more than 2.0 fWAR through May 28.
Looking back on Langeliers’ tenure with the Braves, it’s cool to see him receive a ring for his time there. But it also serves as a bittersweet moment, being a major part of one of the biggest win-win trades in recent years.
Ex-Braves ‘Champion’ Reveals He Received a Ring Despite Never Playing for Atlanta