Atlanta Braves Mega Thread

[devils1854]

Gonna start my list of the Braves top prospects since the year has turned to 2019. I know I usually do a top 50, but its just 30 this year. Its mainly because the depth in the low minors is starting to get very thin. We have drafted well the past couple of years, but the loss of international players, and the lack of signing them have hurt the depth. Plus, we have graduated close to double digit guys to the majors in the past year or so. Its kind of a good thing, and finally, we have released a number of names that have previously been in these rankings(Ruiz, Peterson, Sanchez), plus trades of other guys(Encarnacion!!!). We do get two first round picks this upcoming draft, so hopefully we can restock a little.

Honorable Mentions: Derian Cruz-2B, Wes Parsons-RHP, AJ Graffanino-SS, Troy Bacon-RHP, Ray-Patrick Didder-SS, RIley Delgado-2B, Braulio Vazquez-2B

 

30-26

30.Drew Lugbauer||C||A+

Lugbauer is listed as a catcher, but he probably wont play there too much longer. He has played multiple positions in the low minors, trying to get his bat in the lineup. He didnt take any steps forward this past season in Rome, but he still has descent power, that could be intriguing if there was a way he could learn to play behind the plate.

29.Travis Demeritte||OF||AAA

Demeritte keeps falling, and if there were any depth in the system, he would definitely be out, but here we are. He was moved to the outfield this past season, and it was a huge struggle at times, but it seems like he found his footing there, and could be an asset defensively in the future. The bat? Has no progressed at all. He still has great power for his frame, but he still swings and misses way too much. He possibly could be a fourth outfielder in the majors.

28.Tucker Davidson||LHP||AA

Davidson, a no name as late as last season, has made a name for himself in the organization because he has been able to move from the pen to the rotation in multiple levels. He now has three pitches that he is comfortable with, and a fastball that can reach the high 90s. He probably isnt a starter in higher levels. I just dont see the tools, but with a very good fastball, he could possibly be a major league pen arm.

27.Izzy Wilson||OF||A+

Wilson is one of those guys that you see outside of a game, and think that this guy is a star, but on the field, it has been the opposite so far. He still doesnt turn 21 until March, but he has not been able to put together his tools in a game setting. The power isnt there. The speed isnt working. He is striking out too much. 2019 is probably his make or break season. He should get promoted to Florida, but he could be on a short leash.

26.Jasseel De La Cruz||RHP||A+

Cruz could be much higher on this list if it wasnt for a injury last season. He started off the year hot, almost unhittable, in Rome. He was flashing three good pitches, and a fastball that was sitting in the mid-90s in the mid innings. The injury came, and he was never the same pitcher, and he faded big time towards the end of the season. Maybe it was all the injury, or maybe his arm couldnt take the work load. Either way, he has piqued the interest of many, and could be a sleeper candidate in the next couple of seasons.

 

Edited January 3, 2019 by devils1854

[devils1854]

25-21

25.Alex Jackson||C||AAA

Just one year ago, Jackson was close to possibly cracking the top ten, and maybe could have been the catcher of the future. Fast forward a season, and he is now an afterthought. He struggled mightily in Mississippi, and somehow he was promoted to Gwinnett. He was just as bad there. He had always had swing and miss problems, but it looked even worse(he could barely hit .200). To make it worse, he plus power was non-existent, and he didnt even get to double digit homers this year. 2019 is probably his last year in the organization, unless he turns things around because he is not a defensive wiz, and the Braves arent going to waste a catcher spot in the high minors on someone this bad.

24.Trey Riley||RHP||A

I didnt really know much about Riley when we drafted him in the fifth round out of John A Logan Community College. He is a pitcher that can reach the high 90s, and has a potential plus pitch in his slider. He definitely has to work on his other two pitches. Riley should get the chance to start early in his career, and then the organization will go from there, but if he cannot make it as a starter, he could potentially make it to the majors as a reliever with his two good pitches.

23.Jacob Webb||RHP||AAA

Ill start off this description with the stat that everyone throws out for Webb. After coming back from TJS in 2016, he struck out 31 guys in 13 innings. Yes, that is accurate. After catching eyes in 2017, he continued his dominance in 2018 through two levels. He has a mid 90s fastball and a curve that is a plus pitch. The reason that he isnt in the majors yet, is because his control needs a ton of work. He has a lot of issues locating his curve at times. If he can remedy that, he can find himself a spot in the major league pen, and it seems like the Braves see a future in him after putting him on the 40 man in November to keep him away from the Rule 5 Draft.

22.Thomas Burrows||LHP||AAA

Thomas Burrows is the greatest closer in the history of Alabama baseball. His dominance has continued in the majors. He has 25 saves in his first three seasons in the minors. He isnt a power pitcher. What he is, is a guy that sits in a 3/4 slot, and has movement with his fastball, and a slider with a nasty bite. He could be in the majors very soon(because he has been unhittable in the minors) but he walks way too many people. If he can find some control, then he can be a very effective major league reliever.

 

21.CJ Alexander||3B||A+

Alexander is the second 2018 draft pick on the list. He played in three levels in his first season, and dominated at all three. Reports were that he could be a top five round pick this past season, but he fell to the Braves in the twentieth round. Alexander has two potential 70 tools. His power, and his arm. Heading into the draft, ever other tool seemed to be somewhere in the 40s. He is huge at 6'5, and probably doesnt have the agility to play almost any position much longer. Lets just say he has a lot of question marks, but he has already surpassed what a twentieth rounder normally does, and he should be fun to watch in 2019.

[devils1854]

20.Huascar Ynoa||RHP||A+

Im going to throw out a what if. If Atlanta were the team that signed Ynoa instead of Minnesota, I think he would be a top 10 prospect. I think his development was hurt severely with the Twins organization. His fastball is a huge plus, and he even hit triple digits in 2018. The problem is that his secondary stuff is developing very slowly. His slider shows great flashes, but it isnt consistent at all. He should start his season in Florida, and he will be one that I will watch closely because if he can take a next step in his development, I think he could move quickly at the age of 21.

19.Tristan Beck||RHP||A+

If it werent for injuries, Beck would not be in the Atlanta organization. After a stellar freshman campaign, Beck was a surefire first rounder, but two years of injuries pushed him to the fourth round, where the Braves drafted him this past season. I dont think he has the makeup to be a top of the line starter but I could see a scenario where things come together for him(if he is healthy) and he becomes a starter in the majors. He has a good, not great fastball. A good, not great curve, and a changeup that can be developed into a serviceable third pitch. If you compare him to someone in the organization, I think it would be Kyle Wright.

18.Chad Sobotka||RHP||MLB

Sobotka burst onto the scene in Atlanta this past year, showcasing a fastball that sits in the upper 90s, and can hit 100. Major league hitters hit just .102 against him. His walk rate was 5.65 per 9 innings. He should secure a role in the bullpen in 2019, but he is going to have to start to locate his two pitches much better, because there isnt a lot of room for error when you walk that many people. He is a good option for a regression this upcoming year, but he is also a guy that could take a step forward with a new pitching coach, but its always tough for guys his size(6'8) to replicate their delivery consistently, unless they are uber athletic.

17.Jefrey Ramos||OF||A+

I am bullish on Ramos. I think there is a lot to like with him. His power is his calling card. He has hit 24 home runs in his short career between rookie ball and Rome. I think those numbers will climb even more as he gets older. The other thing I really like about Ramos is his lack of strike outs. He only struck out 17% in Rome this past season. As he matures, and learns the game better, I think that is an indicator that his walk rate will go up, which would make him even more valuable. It does look like ihe is purely a left fielder, so if he wants to make the majors, he is definitely going to have to hit.

16.Freddy Tarnok||RHP||A+

Tarnok is still pretty new at pitching after being mostly a position player in high school. He was one of the most impressive guys I saw in person in 2018. The ball just explodes out of his hand, and he absolutely dominated hitters in short stints in Rome. Because of this, I think he can fall back and be a high leverage reliever if he fails at starting. He still needs a lot of work. He only started the last half of the year last year, and he needs to add a lot of stamina, because his numbers werent as good in that role. If he can start to figure out how to be a starting pitcher, I really think the sky is the limit, and he could be the breakout guy in the organization in 2019.

[GSUeagles14]

good stuff so far @devils1854, excited to see how the rest of the list plays oit. and do you see webb and burrows getting significant stints in atlanta this year?

[devils1854]

23 hours ago, GSUeagles14 said:

good stuff so far @devils1854, excited to see how the rest of the list plays oit. and do you see webb and burrows getting significant stints in atlanta this year?

Anything is possible. It all depends on their control. Relief pitching is the most volatile position in baseball. One year players are lights out. The next, they are crap. Just look at some of the Braves guys the past few seasons. Sam Freeman, Jose Ramirez, Mauricio Cabrera, etc. Guys that had good seasons but could never replicate it. Ive mentioned that Sobotka could be in for a down year because of walks since he is 6'8 and there are a huge number of guys that big that have long, sustained careers. The best thing is that the Braves seem to have a number of young guys that are on the verge of the majors that could contribute, so finding someone shouldnt be too hard.

Vizcaino, Minter, O'Day, Biddle, Vinters, Winkler, Sobotka, and Fried should get the first chance to be in the majors from the pen, but the team also has Caryle, Dayton, Freeman, Jackson, Parsons, and Webb on the 40 man, plus other young guys that they could put in the pen. There's going to be a lot of competition, and I dont think AA will hesitate to change things up......That doesnt even account the possibility that we could go after someone like Cody Allen or another vet. 

[WizardHawk]

Pretty big news. Bridges/Clark have been behind a lot of talent within organization. 

[devils1854]

15.Bryse Wilson||RHP||AAA

Wilson is more than likely a reliever in the majors. He does have a little chance to become a starter(thats why he is this high on the list), but he has to improve greatly, and he has to do it soon. His fastball is good. It plays as a plus pitch most of the time because he can locate it well, and it has a nice sink to it. His second and third pitches are where he needs to get better. His slider can be good, but he has no consistency with it, and his change up really is just a show pitch. He will definitely get his chance at the rotation in Gwinnett this season, but the back end of a bullpen might be the best place for his repertoire, and his mentality.
 

14.Patrick Weigel||RHP||AAA

If it werent for Tommy John surgery, Weigel was on track to maybe be the first prospect to get his chance at the rotation in 2017, but the injury happened, and we only saw 4 innings from him at the end of last season. It is a very small sample size, but the reports for him were great, so he is back up to a spot closer to his potential. I love his big fastball, definitely a plus pitch, and he has three other pitches are that major league ready. The slider is the best of the bunch, but he still has some problems with it, and all pitches because he is a big guy, and at 6'6, he has issues with his command. He was added to the 50 man earlier in the offseason, so the Braves definitely have hope that he can be a factor in Atlanta soon.
 

13.Kolby Allard||LHP||AAA

I think everyone knows what Allard is. He is a guy that has lost anywhere from 3-5 mph on his fastball since being drafted, and sits at around 88-90 in games. The fastball doesnt have great movement, so Allard has to be able to locate it well. The good news is that his curveball flashes plus at times, and his change up is a pretty good major league pitch as well. Those two pitches and his good command almost make a major league starting pitcher, but Allard has so little margin for error in the majors, that even if his fastball is barely off, he will get hit, and it will be hard. Its hard to really project Allard right now. He is only 21 years old. He has dominated at a young age at every level, but he is also the guy that gave up 19 hits in 8 innings with the Braves this past season. Someone will give him a chance to be a starter in the majors, but it wont be the Atlanta Braves.

12.Greyson Jenista||OF||A+

Jenista was our highest pick to sign from this past years draft class, and made it all the way to Florida before the end of the season. He is a guy that had the talent to go in the first round of the past draft, and before last season, there were actually questions as to who would go first, Jenista or his teammate Alec Bohm. Jenista did not have the season that many had hoped from him, so he slid to the Braves. He is athletic for his size, so he should have no problems playing a corner outfield spot. Many people see big power from him because of his size, and the fact that he has some good exit velocities, but we cant be sure its ever going to happen because he has a downward plane to his swing. If he can manage to get more power from his bat, he could end up a great player, if not, I could see him as a Nick Markakis type of player(if he can still make it to the majors).

11.Kyle Muller||LHP||AA

Muller might be the most overlooked pitching prospect in the system. After being drafted, he was kept in rookie ball for two years, and played in Rome for two different years. This is probably because of his slow development, and because after being drafted, he lost a good bit from his fastball. He worked on the fastball, and in 2018, the numbers went up, and in turn, he went through three different levels. Its not going to hit triple digits, but he can sit anywhere from 91-94, and reach back for a little more when needed. I think using the kid gloves on him has really helped to develop command, because I think he can locate all three of his pitches well, even at his size. Im not sure he will ever get his chance in Atlanta, but I do think he is developing into a major league starter.

[devils1854]

10.Austin Riley||3B||AAA

In 2018, there were 11 guys in the majors that hit at least 24 home runs and hit at least .240. The highest K% out of them was Max Muncy at 27%, and behind that was Matt Chapman at 23.7%. Does Riley project to be be better than anyone of these guys? His raw power is great. Possibly plus plus, and yes, he could be a plus defender at third, but he strikes out way too much, and he doesnt walk that much either. He probably wont get his K rate down once he goes to the majors. Not many people do. So he is what he is, and thats probably an average major league player at third base. Mike Moustakas has been worth 4.5 WAR the past two years, hit 66 home runs, struck out 16% of the time, walked about 6.5% of the time, and hit around .260. He got 6.5 mil in 2018, and is still a free agent now. Riley is not special in any way, and he should be the first player offered to any team in a trade.

9.William Contreras||C||A+

Ive seen Contreras in person, and after reading reports about him, I keep hearing one word, and that's makeup. He knows what he is doing behind the plate. That's coming from almost all evaluators. He also is athletic, and has a very good arm, so he is projecting as a major league catcher, even without talking about his offense. He just turned 21 last month, so he still can grow a lot. The power is going to be ok. Will probably be more of a gap type hitter, but he still should hit double digits. He also walks, and doesnt strike out a ton, which is great for the position. We might look back in 12 months and realize that we had him way too low on the list, because he has the package to be a top five catcher in the majors.

8.Luiz Gohara||LHP||AAA

Everyone pretty much knows Gohara. He has a fastball that is a plus pitch. He has a slider that is a plus pitch. He is probably over 280 pounds......He has a lot of injuries and personal issues this past season, so it ended up not being the best for him. Those look to be over. Gohara also stayed in Orlando once the season was over, and reports are that he has lost 35 or more pounds. If that is true, and it stays off, then all bets are off with him. He has the pitches to be a top of the rotation guy, but thats hard to project with his weight fluctuating so much since he was signed by the Mariners. He has great potential, but it will probably be best for the Braves to get value out of him, and trade him as soon as they can since big pitchers dont usually work out as starters in the majors.

7.Kyle Wright||RHP||AAA

If you take a look at Wright, then you would see the perfect example of what you look for in a major league pitcher. He has the size that you want. He is athletic enough to have a smooth delivery. Hell, he even has four pitches that at least flash major league ready.....and that is where his high projections have come from. Thats what made him a top five pick. His fastball flashes plus, but for the most part, it sits around 91-94. He has a slider that is probably his best pitch, and I would admit is a plus pitch. He also throws a curve and a change, and both are just average major league pitches, at best. Wright is going to be a starter in the majors. Evaluators had that as his floor in the draft, and he has done nothing to prove them wrong, but he also hasnt shown that much growth, and his pitches are pretty much the same as when he was drafted, so his ceiling is still the back of the rotation, and maybe just a little better with more growth.

6.Joey Wentz||LHP||AA

Injuries and youth have stopped Wentz from fully putting everything together so far in the system. It looked like 2018 was going to be the year for Wentz. He started off well, but the velocity wasnt there, and it wasnt more than a month and he was shut down. He then came back in June, and went on a 30 inning streak of not giving up a run. He then went down after the next start. I am super high on him, but the injuries are worrisome, so I dropped him a little in the rankings. If he is healthy in 2019, then he will have three pitches that will flash as plus, and if he puts it together, then there is no other pitcher in the organization that has a higher ceiling. He turned 21 in October, so he is still very young for the development that he has shown during his time in the organization.

[BillsGuy82]

what y'all expecting out of Kyle Wright this season and anyone care to make any projections?

[GSUeagles14]

13 hours ago, BillsGuy82 said:

what y'all expecting out of Kyle Wright this season and anyone care to make any projections?

without injury to the rotatio, my guess is he gets called after the break. prob abover average k #s and below average walk #s.

[devils1854]

On 1/18/2019 at 12:20 AM, BillsGuy82 said:

what y'all expecting out of Kyle Wright this season and anyone care to make any projections?

AAA to start the season. Unless he just blows away the staff and front office, it sounds like he is clearly behind Touki, Soroka, and Fried for the final spot or two(if we can trade Teheran).

AA loves to use the 10 day DL to get guys rest, so he will definitely get a chance to start during the season, at least spot starts during the summer, and maybe more towards the end of the year.

Ive let my opinion known of him since he was drafted. I dont think he has any pitch that is going to be plus at the major league level. He's going to use all four of his pitches at the highest level, but I see them all as average major league pitches.

If you are looking for a fantasy guess, then Id go 44 innings, 38 hits, 20 walks, 37 strike outs, 4.25 ERA

[devils1854]

5.Cristian Pache||OF||AA

How much you think Pache will hit, is how you will place him in the rankings. Almost all scouts say that he will be the best defensive center fielder as soon as he reaches the major. Plus plus defense, arm, and speed. In 2018, he definitely took a step forward at the plate. He actually hit his first professional home run in 2018, and finished with 9, but he did not walk at all, and the K% started to creep up higher and higher. To add to that, he only stole 7 bases after swiping 32 the year before. If he becomes Billy Hamilton, he will still be valuable, but not a uber prospect like some think he could be. Id be happy if he got his offense to Inciarte levels, but Im not sure if he could do that, and that could be why his name has come up in trade talks. It seems like the Braves are very willing for him to be the center piece of a big trade.

4.Drew Waters||OF||A+

Waters is a month younger than Pache, and while he does not have the defensive potential as Pache, he should be above average in center, and his value on offense looks to majorly surpass Pache's. He hasnt hit for a ton of power yet, but he did have 57 extra base hits between two levels last season. Walks are somewhat of a concern with Waters. He was very aggressive last season, and it showed with him only walking 6% of the time. That is definitely something that he is going to have to work on in Florida this season. At the end of the day, Waters profiles to be a guy that could hit somewhere around .280, hit for around 15 home runs, with 40+ doubles, and more than adequate defense in center. If I had to throw a comparison on him, then it probably would be AJ Pollock with less steals, and hopefully more health.

3.Touki Toussaint||RHP||MLB

14 million dollars. Thats what it cost for the Braves to grab Touki from Dave Stewart and the Diamondbacks. It seems like Touki has been in the organization for ten years, and at times it seemed like he was going to be a lost cause, but he kept plugging at it, and just continued to grow every season. Now it looks like he could be a part of the Atlanta rotation for years to come. He has a plus fastball that sits in the mid 90s, but if he needs more, he has been clocked as high as 98. His curve is deadly. When it is on, it is one of the best in baseball. The problem is that he has control issues with it, and control issues in general. Touki became a legitimate prospect when he started to locate better, and the walk numbers went down, but in his 29 innings in the big leagues last season, he walked over 6 per 9. He is going to have to get that number cut in half if he wants to have a successful career in the majors. If for some reason he cant, his two plus pitches would look great in a closer role.

2.Mike Soroka||RHP||MLB

Soroka has shoulder issues last season, and it cut his season short after he was pretty impressive during his 5 starts in Atlanta. I see analysts saying his shoulder issues could be a major problem. I dont see it. Its his first injury in pro ball. Before this, he has been a work horse at every stop. He is healthy now, and will have no limitations going forward, so he should be able to secure a spot in the rotation out of spring training. Soroka isnt going to blow any batters away, but he does have three pitches that are above average, and what makes him a candidate for a top of the rotation spot is his command. It could possible be an elite trait, and there have been multiple major league pitchers that have had very successful careers because they could locate their pitches. This is what we should see out of Soroka.

1.Ian Anderson||RHP||AA

Anderson has flown to the top of the prospect list because of his change up. He's always had an above average fastball and curve. Both are pitches that flash plus at time, and at his age, they could continue to get better, but its the change that has really jumped out. When he was drafted, it was clearly his third pitch, and was really more of a show pitch. He has worked on it. 2018 was his third year in the system, and the change up showed up, and it showed up big time. It shows as a plus pitch, and if he can continue to use it like he did in 2018, then he could have three pitches that at least flash plus, and sit mostly as above average. He still needs to work on his command. He does tend to walk too many people. It did get better this past season, but its something to monitor, and it could be the reason he spends more time in the minors than he should. Anderson looks like an ace, and if he continues on his track, he will be the top of the rotation arm that the organization has been looking for.

[GSUeagles14]

our position players seem pretty set as far as who will make the roster, but back end of the rotation and bullpen is still up fro grabs. As of now, have to think Wright has a lead for the last starting spot. @devils1854 will team control dictate if he stays down to start the year or is he in the clear?

Edited March 6, 2019 by GSUeagles14

[devils1854]

58 minutes ago, GSUeagles14 said:

our position players seem pretty set as far as who will make the roster, but back end of the rotation and bullpen is still up fro grabs. As of now, have to think Wright has a lead for the last starting spot. @devils1854 will team control dictate if he stays down to start the year or is he in the clear?

He was a September call up last year, so I dont believe that affects service time.

Thursday-(Teheran)
Friday-off day
Saturday-(Gausman)
Sunday-(Newcomb)
Monday-(Fried/Toussaint)
Tuesday-off day
Wednesday-(Folty)
Thursday-(Teheran)
Friday-(Gausman)
Saturday-(Newcomb)
Sunday-(Fried/Toussaint)

We wont need a fifth starter until Sunday the 7th. Thats only 11 days into the season, so Wright would need to stay down another week to manipulate service time. Pitchers service time usually isnt something teams think about, so I have no clue whether or not they would try to keep him down. I could see something happened like I outlined above.

 

[coors]

Chop Chop everyone!

Philly doesn't scare me. Mets do not scare me. Washington does not scare me. Miami does not do it for me.

We got this