Below is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the Atlanta Braves. Scouting stories have been compiled with info supplied by business sources in addition to our personal observations. This is the third 12 months we’re delineating between two anticipated aid roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “position” column under: MIRP for multi-inning aid pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning aid pitchers. The ETAs listed usually correspond to the 12 months a participant must be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual changes are made the place they appear applicable, however we use that as a rule of thumb.

A fast overview of what FV (Future Value) means might be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview might be discovered right here.

All of the ranked prospects under additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the positioning provides that includes sortable scouting info for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan information from varied sources) than this text and integrates each staff’s listing so readers can evaluate prospects throughout farm programs. It might be discovered right here.

Other Prospects of Note

Grouped by sort and listed so as of desire inside every class.

Catching DepthJavier Valdes, CTyler Tolve, C

Both of those guys are well-built and convey one offensive device to the desk (Valdes has above-average really feel for contact, Tolve has huge energy), however each are fairly tough behind the dish. Valdes, 24, struggles with ball-blocking and controlling the operating recreation. Tolve’s points are much less particular and apply extra to his protection total, and he might not make sufficient contact for the ability to matter, however he’s solely 22.

Young Players to KnowLuis Sanchez, 3BDidier Fuentes, SPLeiker Figueroa, INFAdam Shoemaker, LHP

Sanchez, 19, is a compact third baseman who walked twice as typically as he struck out within the 2022 DSL, then bought some journey squad reps in the course of the Grapefruit League. Boots on the bottom scouts are describing him as extra of a skills-over-tools sort. Fuentes, 17, was despatched to Low-A to begin 2023. He may be very versatile and athletic however seems to be to have some energy and conditioning work to do, which could assist him discover extra constant really feel for his using, low-90s fastball and inconsistent secondary stuff. Figueroa has above-average bodily projection and bat-to-ball abilities, however he’s not an particularly twitchy athlete. Shoemaker is a 6-foot-6, 20-year-old Canadian lefty who had a velo spike earlier than the 2021 draft and bought about $500,000 within the eleventh spherical. He’s dialed again down into the 89-92 mph vary and is a late-blooming sleeper at this stage.

Spot StartersTanner Gordon, RHPAllan Winans, RHPLuis De Avila, LHPAlan Rangel, RHP

Gordon, 25, instructions 92-93 to the highest of the zone and has a mean breaking ball and changeup. Winans, 27, survives with a heavy sinker and above-average changeup. De Avila is the teenager of this group, simply 21, however he’s comparatively projectionless and is sitting simply 90-92 mph. He has a shot to develop plus command of a plus changeup and be a 40. Rangel is just like Gordon however with a grade much less of command.

Bats on the FringeCal Conley, 2BKeshawn Ogans, SSBrandon Parker, RFBrandol Mezquita, RF

Conley is just like Luke Waddell in that neither of them is sure-handed sufficient to play an enormous league shortstop, and possibly not the infield in any respect. Conley is totally different than Waddell in that he's a extra balanced offensive participant with common hit and energy, each of which play down as a result of his strategy. Ogans is sort of the exact opposite, a slick infield defender who can play brief however who in all probability gained’t hit a ton. Parker has an fascinating mixture of energy and persistence, however he’s a corner-only man and has been outdated for the extent to which he’s been assigned, so we’re nonetheless skeptical. If he will get a fast hook to Double-A and retains hitting, we’ll re-evaluate. Mezquita is a bit more clearly in need of hitting sufficient to profile in a nook due to his hit device, although he does have an attractive bat pace/foot pace mixture.

Relief LooksLuis Vargas, RHPJared Johnson, RHPTrey Riley, RHP

Vargas is an athletic, undersized 20-year-old righty who labored deep into video games (at the least, deep into video games by 19-year-old requirements) as a starter in 2022, however he seems to be extra like a reliever. He sits 92 mph with trip and has a possible plus slider. Johnson, 22, is again from TJ and once more sitting 93-94 with a reasonably good slider and combined strikes. Riley sits within the mid-to-upper-90s with pure lower, however he has zero really feel for the zone.

System Overview

The total high quality of the Braves system is under common, however that’s largely as a result of org’s “If you’re ready, you’re ready” strategy to prospects. This philosophy rocketed Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider to the massive leagues, exhausted Vaughn Grissom’s rookie eligibility, and has made Ian Anderson (who simply underwent Tommy John surgical procedure) a de facto prospect once more as, like Kyle Wright earlier than him, he struggles to seek out his long-term footing on the highest stage.

This system has two clear chunks. The first is the high-ceiling pitching group concentrated largely on the high of the listing. The Braves have a tendency to make use of draft sources on numerous “tip of the iceberg” prospects, the place the context of the participant’s analysis evokes hope for future improvement. Among these are various former two-way gamers (Owen Murphy and Spencer Schwellenbach) or multi-sport athletes (AJ Smith-Shawver). Whether the affinity for all these prospects stems from the a number of developmental routes they permit for, or just comes from the Braves considering it implies a further stage of athleticism, they certain are desirous to scoop them up. The identical is true of gamers whose draft inventory was altered by damage. This applies to Strider, Schwellenbach, Cole Phillips, and Adam Maier. There are loads of latest examples of hurlers whose early improvement was impacted by TJ after which went on to impress (Lucas Giolito, Jesús Luzardo, and Walker Buehler, to call just a few), and the Braves appear to love to fish in that prospect pool.

The different frequent theme all through the listing is that of contact-driven up-the-middle guys, most of whom provide no energy in any respect. This is especially fascinating contemplating the present huge league shortstop scenario. As the org navigates round it, it helps illuminate the Braves’ inner opinions of their giant inhabitants of pop-free center infielders. When Orlando Arcia was positioned on the IL, Grissom was tapped as his stand-in, which can point out the place the org views Braden Shewmake becoming in the long term (and that it’s probably not at shortstop).

Content Source: blogs.fangraphs.com