Atlanta Braves Top 15 Prospects

The Braves farm system almost never ranks among the best in baseball, yet they continue to churn out big league talent. You can chalk that up to scouting and development; when the Braves do have a blue chip prospect, they rarely seem to disappoint. President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos and the rest of his front office like to move the right candidates through the minor league ranks quickly to supplement a big league club that is always in win-now mode.

In addition to the high hit rate on the top-end prospects they do have, the Braves backfill with a ton of high floor pieces who have a high probability of filling at least some sort of MLB role, especially on the pitching front. 13 of the Braves top 15 prospects are pitchers, and while Cam Caminiti may be the only one with No. 2 upside, a handful of arms have a great shot of filling the back of a rotation along with some intriguing high-leverage options.

1. Drake Baldwin – C – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 3rd Round (96), 2022 (ATL) | ETA: 2025

After a shaky pro debut, Baldwin broke out in 2023, mashing between High-A and Double-A. He followed that up with a strong showing at the upper levels in 2024, looking the part of an everyday big league backstop.

Outlook

Starting open with his hands out in front of him, Baldwin features a big leg kick that he manages well from a timing and mechanics perspective. Pulling his hands back to his slot as his lead leg comes down helps keep his weight back while creating plenty of tension and helping him generate torque. The result is plus exit velocities that have continued to climb (107 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity).

Baldwin has a solid feel for the barrel, driving the ball to all fields with authority. His flatter swing compromises his ability to tap into game power consistently, but also likely plays a part in his solid contact rates. He particularly struggles to elevate fastballs consistently, likely due to the deeper contact point against such offerings. His plate discipline is plus, recognizing spin well and laying off of changeups impressively for a left-handed hitter. Baldwin also performs well against southpaws.

If he is able to elevate more consistently, Baldwin could tap into 20-25 home runs consistently. His solid feel to hit and knack for getting on base paired with the plus exit velocities could still make him an average big league bat even if the home run total is closer to 15.

Defense/Speed

Viewed as a fringy defender when drafted, Baldwin has trended closer to average and has the tools to be even better than that. He has particularly improved in the receiving department, looking at least big league average. His arm is average and his accuracy has improved, throwing out roughly 25% of attempted base stealers in 2024. He is a strong blocker, only allowing a few passed balls through his first 100 pro games.

Outlook

One of the more polished catchers in the Minor Leagues, Baldwin is close to big league ready and still has room for more upside, especially in the game power department. If he can more consistently catch fastballs further out front, he has a chance to tap into above average game power. Potential for 20-25 homers paired with his on base skills and ability to hit lefties would make him a well above average offensive catcher who has the defensive ability to stick at the position. He has a good chance to at least settle in as a primary catcher.

2. Cam Caminiti – LHP – (Low-A)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round (24), 2024 (ATL) | ETA: 2027

The nephew of former MLB NL MVP Ken Caminiti, Cam reclassified into the 2024 class, making him one of the youngest players in the draft. Set to be 18 years old for the vast majority of the 2025 season, Caminiti already offers exciting stuff with plenty of room for more.

Arsenal

A three pitch mix, Caminiti’s fastball leads the way, already sitting 93-95 MPH with room for more velocity in his repeatable delivery. While the characteristics on the fastball are somewhat standard, it plays up a bit from his slight cross-fire delivery. With his physicality and athleticism, it would not be surprising to see Caminiti sit in the mid 90s as he develops.

After lagging behind at points, Caminiti’s slider has come along nicely, flashing above average at around 80 MPH with 13 inches of sweep. He’s still working to tighten it up some, but it has the potential to be a plus offering. His upper 80s changeup flashes as a solid third offering if he can find a bit more separation either velocity or shape wise. He flashed a good feel for it as an amateur, with the chance for it to develop into at least an average offering as he throws it more.

Outlook

Caminiti’s athleticism and easy mechanics give him the potential for above average command with an uptick in stuff easily in the tank. The top prep arm in the class, the Braves were thrilled for Caminiti to slip to them at the No. 24 selection despite the vast majority of the organization’s top prospects being arms. Already getting a chance to pitch in a Low-A game prior to his 18th birthday, Caminiti will almost surely begin the 2025 season there with a chance to get to High-A relatively quickly given his advanced nature for a prep southpaw.

3. AJ Smith-Shawver – RHP – (MLB)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 7th Round (217), 2021 (ATL) | ETA: 2024

An athletic right-hander with electric stuff, the Braves signed Smith-Shawver for an over-slot $1 million to forgo his two-way commitment to Texas Tech. After just 77 Minor League innings between the Complex and Low-A prior to 2023, Smith-Shawver rocketed to an MLB debut in June. He has shuttled back and forth some from Triple-A to the big leagues, creating a difficult development process for a prep arm who will still be 22 years old for the entirety of 2025.

Arsenal

Smith-Shawver diced through lower level competition with his mid 90s fastball and quality slider. Smith-Shawver did not quite overpower big league hitters with his fastball to the same degree as he had the tendency to miss over the middle while the slider was not playing quite as well. As a result, he started to utilize his split-changeup more, which looks like it can be a plus pitch if he can gain a more consistent feel for it.

The mid 80s slider with cutterish, gyro break still looks like it can be an above average pitch when it is not flattening out on him up in the zone. Unfortunately for Smith-Shawver, he left it in the heart far too often in 2024, resulting too much hard contact.

The aforementioned splitter was clearly Smith-Shawver’s best swing and miss pitch in 2024, holding opponents to an OPS in the mid 500s with a swinging strike rate of 22%. The vertical separation from his fastball paired with 11 MPH brakes made it effective right-on-right, which he leaned into more as the season progressed.

Smith-Shawver’s 75-77 MPH curveball lags behind the rest of his arsenal. It can lack sharpness and is inconsistent from a strike perspective (50% strike rate in 2024). It’s likely just a strike-stealing offering or taste-breaker.

Outlook

It’s rare to see a high school drafted arm reach Triple-A in the first half of his second pro season, but it is a testament to the quality of stuff and athleticism Smith-Shawver boasts on the mound…as well as the aggressive nature of the Braves if they identify a prospect who they believe can help them.

Perhaps the Braves brass was overzealous with Smith-Shawver, who has been tinkering with his arsenal while being pushed in and out of sink-or-swim scenarios. He has gone from a fastball-slider arm with athleticism that scouts believed could translate to quality command to a fastball changeup guy who is still trying to fill up the zone more consistently.

2025 will be a big year for the identity of Smith-Shawver, who is still just 22 years old for the entirety of the season. If Smith-Shawver can regain his effectiveness with his slider and take a step forward with his overall command, he should finally be ready to hold onto a rotation spot in Atlanta as he has never really had the slider and change at the same time. His athleticism on the mound and potential for three above average offerings give him the upside to be a fringe No. 3 option, but as he continues to search for consistency, it’s more likely he slots into the back of a rotation.

4. Owen Murphy – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (20), 2024 (ATL) | ETA: 2027

A first round selection by the Braves in 2022, Murphy was enjoying somewhat of a breakout campaign in 2024 before seeing his season cut short due to Tommy John surgery. He has a unique feel to spin the baseball.

Arsenal

A three pitch mix, Muphy’s fastball leads the way, generating elite carry in the low 90s. Before going down with a torn UCL, Murphy’s fastball was up a tick to 91.5 MPH through his nine starts While that would still place him several ticks below average from a velocity standpoint, his plus plus carry was able to play up further. Averaging nearly 20 inches of induced vertical break from a 5.6 foot release height, Murphy’s fastball is similar to that of Cristian Javier’s, generating plenty of whiff within the zone as well as chase at the top.

Murphy’s slider was also improved in 2024, jumping two ticks from an average of 83 MPH to 85 MPH while more similarly matching his fastball release point. He commands the pitch well, landing it for a strike roughly 70% of the time as a pro and more confidently burying the harder, sharper version under the hands of lefties in 2024. Hitters struggled to differentiate it from Murphy’s fastball, resulting in a chase rate near 40% and an OPS in the mid 500s.

The third pitch for Murphy is a curveball in the mid 70s that is far less reliable than his fastball and slider. It has good depth, averaging more than 12 inches in both directions, but Murphy only landed it for a strike around 53% of the time in 2024. When he did locate it, hitters did not do much, utilizing it more frequently to lefties.

Outlook

Murphy’s ability to generate carry on his fastball is as impressive as just about any starting pitching prospect in the minor leagues, setting up his breaking balls well. Execution and tunneling help Murphy’s above average slider play closer to plus, with his curveball looking like a strong enough third offering to mix in. It will be interesting to see if Murphy experiments with a changeup upon his return from Tommy John surgery as most vert-inducing pitchers will see even firmer changeups still serve as a useful complementary offering off of the heater. Assuming he picks up where he left off in 2024, Murphy has a good chance of at least landing as a back end starter.

5. Lucas Braun – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 6th Round (198) – ATL (2023) | ETA: 2026

A sixth round pick in 2023, Braun was quite impressive in his first full pro season, quickly shaking off a slow start in High-A before dominating Double-A competition behind a slightly altered release, that helped his stuff play up.

Arsenal

A five pitch mix, Braun has a great feel to spin the baseball from a low release slot. Braun dropped his release both lower and more horizontal ahead of 2024, which appeared to be a more natural throw for him while allowing his stuff to work more effectively east/west from his cross-body delivery.

His velocity increased across his arsenal by roughly a half tick, but it was his more repeatable delivery that stood out. The fastball command improved, with a flatter approach angle and higher spin rate, letting the heater rip out of his hand much more naturally. It’s unlikely to be more than an average fastball, but his more unique angle and enhanced execution paired with a slight gain in velocity has improved the pitch from what once looked like could be an offering that upper level hitters and big leaguers could hit hard.

Braun’s best pitch is his 83-85 MPH slider, a comfortably plus offering that yielded a chase rate north of 40% and an OPS south of .600. The pitch plays up further from his more horizontal release by visual alone, but he also gained more depth and nearly two inches of horizontal, making it more effective to lefties as well with the ability to bury it towards their back leg.

He will also mix in a sweeping curveball roughly 15% of the time, at 78-80 MPH. Because of the sweeping action it features, is more effective to same-handed hitters, but Braun will still mix it in to lefties as well as an early strike stealer or chase pitch with two strikes.

After sparingly utilizing his cutter in the early part of the season, Braun saw plenty of success with the 85-87 MPH pitch and began to up the usage as he reached Double-A. He locates it well to his glove side, picking up above average whiff and weak contact. The performance of Braun’s cutter against lefties takes some pressure off of his changeup, which lags behind the rest of his arsenal.

The changeup sits in the mid 80s, flashing decent horizontal action, but can get firm on him with hitters also seemingly picking it up out of his hand more easily than his other secondaries.

Outlook

Braun quietly took a significant step forward in 2024, sprinting through the finish line with 45 strikeouts over his final five Double-A starts. His pitch mix–headlined by a plus slider–and unique delivery give him a great chance of at least becoming a swingman or depth arm at the MLB level, but Braun has the stuff to be a No. 4 starter. Consistency and execution will ultimately decide whether he reaches that ceiling, as Braun would walk none in a start followed by four the next. As he gets more accustomed to his new delivery, the hope is that he will dial into the average command he often demonstrates more consistently.

7. Hurston Waldrep – RHP – (MLB)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (24) – ATL (2023) | ETA: 2024

An explosive athlete on the mound, Waldrep’s elite splitter is his calling card. Fastball shape and command have limited him some, but he flashes plenty of upside.

Arsenal

A three pitch mix, Waldrep’s fastball sits 94-96 MPH behind his elite arm speed. The pitch does not perform as well as the velocity would imply, lacking desired life and not garnering much swing and miss. In his junior season at Florida, opponents hit over .300 against the heater with even worse results in 2024 between the upper minor leagues and the big leagues. The velocity and arm speed is there, but until there’s a shift characteristics wise, it’s likely an above average fastball at best.

The key weapon for Waldrep is his double plus splitter in the upper 80s that falls off of the table. Even through his inconsistent overall results during the 2024 season, opponents did not do much against the split, OPSing below .450 with a swinging strike rate north of 25%.

While the splitter is an elite put away pitch against hitters from both sides, Waldrep’s 84-87 MPH slider gives him a second quality out pitch, flashing above average. After eliminating the curveball from his mix, he began to land the slider for a strike more consistently with shorter, gyro shape.

Outlook

Waldrep has the stuff to be a quality MLB starter, but there may be enough working against him to ultimately push him to the bullpen. Between his fastball characteristics and below average command, Waldrep may be challenged to turn lineups over multiple times. His velocity and splitter alone give him the fall back of a high leverage reliever or high-end swingman, but his physical talent and and improved slider give him the potential for more.

7. Ignacio Alvarez – INF – (MLB)

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 5th Round (155), 2022 (ATL) | ETA: 2024

A hit-over-power infield bat, Alvarez handled an aggressive Double-A assignment in his first full pro season, reaching Triple-A Gwinnett by June. With the big league club ravaged by injuries, Alvarez was thrusted into MLB action at the end of July, where he understandably struggled. Set to turn 22 years old after Opening Day, Alvarez is advanced for his age and a high probability MLB role player, but may lack the ceiling to be an everyday option.

Hitting

Utilizing a toe-tap in tandem with a barrel tip for timing, Alvarez repeats his moves in the box well with a good feel for the barrel. His overall contact rate of 83% and in-zone contact rate of 86% were both comfortably above average in 2024, while running a chase rate just above 20%. Those figures make it easy to understand how Alvarez was able to get on base at a .390 clip between Double-A and Triple-A with a strikeout rate right at 17%.

While the exit velocities are below average, Alvarez will flash sneaky pop to the pull side, helping him hit 10 home runs in 111 games. Alvarez’s bat speed is below average, which could present some challenges with velocity at the highest level. He was less productive in general against four seamers in 2024, hitting .255 with just six extra base hits.

Alvarez has a flatter swing that generates plenty of line drives to all fields, giving him the potential to provide a fair amount of doubles if he can find another tick or two in the exit velocity department. The vast majority of Alvarez’s value will come from his ability to get on base, but 10 or so homers and enough doubles mixed in could elevate him enough offensively to be an everyday bat.

Defense/Speed

Alvarez is a below average runner, but is nimble enough to play a quality third base and second base. He boasts soft hands and a great internal clock/feel for the game which could allow him to develop into an above average defender at either spot. His arm is average for third base, but he gets the ball out quick with good carry on his throws.

Outlook

Ultimately, Alvarez’s on base skills and ability to move around the infield will be what keeps him in the big leagues, but he will need to add more impact to keep himself in the lineup everyday. Though still young, his bat speed leaving a bit to be desired and a swing path that is more geared for line drives, may make it difficult for Alvarez to get into more than below average power. He projects as an infield utility piece or second-division regular.

8. Drue Hackenberg – RHP – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (59) – ATL (2023) | ETA: 2025

Hackenberg was drafted as a high floor draft-eligible sophomore in the second round and immediately looked to be just that, tossing 129 innings across three levels with a 3.07 ERA, finishing his first pro season in Triple-A.

Arsenal

Nothing jumps off of the page stuff wise, but Hackenberg offers a diverse pitch mix, blending a high ground ball rate with enough whiffs. He will throw two different fastballs, a four seamer that averaged 94.5 MPH and a sinker nearly a tick below. Though the four seamer lacks vertical life, it generates more swing and miss than the Trackman data may suggest as he hides the ball well, helping it get on hitters more quickly.

It’s hard for hitters to differentiate the four seamer from the sinker out of his hand, with the latter averaging 16 inches of horizontal movement. He will almost exclusively throw the two seamer to right-handed hitters, with the heaviness of the pitch resulting in a 63% ground ball rate.

Hackenberg’s best secondary offering is a cutter right around 90 MPH that he leaned further into as the year progressed. Opponents posted an OPS right around .560 against it while the gyro action also resulted in contact on the ground. He throws it more to lefties than righties, but could probably benefit from upping his usage of it in general.

His low 80s sweeping curveball is his best swing and miss pitch, but his command of it is inconsistent. Opponents posted an OPS below .500 against it in 2024, with lefties particularly struggling to do much with it, though a strike rate around 55% in the second half hampered its utility.

Hackenberg’s changeup is a good ground ball pitch when he can land it, averaging just two inches of induced vertical break and 14 inches of horizontal, but he registered a strike rate of just 50% on the pitch in 2024.

Outlook

The Braves knew the ceiling would be somewhat capped for Hackenberg relative to most other arms taken in the top 60 picks, but were also aware that he had a higher likelihood of filling a big league role more quickly than your typical second round arm as well. Already with Triple-A success under his belt as he enters his second full pro season, Hackenberg looks like a quality depth option for the Braves as soon as 2025 with the chance to be a solid No. 5 starter.

9. Garrett Baumann – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’8″, 245 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (126) – ATL (2023) | ETA: 2027

A towering right-hander who fills up the zone, Baumann turned in an excellent first pro season at Low-A, while seeing his velocity climb as the year progressed.

Arsenal

Baumann utilizes a three pitch mix that was dominated by 60% fastball and 25% slider usage. His fastball averaged 94 MPH on the season, but crept closer to 95 MPH as the season progressed with plus extension from his 6-foot-8 frame. It’s easy to see room for more velocity in the tank for Baumann as he enters his age 20 season, especially considering his 2024 trend.

His mid 80s slider moves more like a cutter, picking up plenty of weak contact in the air and playing up from his high release point. Opponents posted an OPS barely over .300 against the pitch in 2024 and Baumann has a good feel to land it in the zone, posting a strike rate of 67%.

Baumann is still trying to find a better feel for his changeup, which is firm at around 86-88 MPH. He mixed it in roughly 15% of the time mostly getting outs via the ground ball rather than swing and miss when he was around the zone with it.

Outlook

Baumann’s ability to pound the zone with his fastball and slider elevate his floor, walking just 5.7% of batters in his pro debut while tossing nearly 100 innings. Developing a dependable third pitch will be important for Baumann as he gears up for High-A and potentially Double-A competition in 2025. A more vertical breaking gyro-slider could be quite effective for him with Cubs 6-foot-10 reliever Jack Neely serving as an example of success, but the sweeping curve that many Braves prospects throw could be a difference maker for Baumann as well.

If he can find confidence in a third offering, Baumann could project nicely in the back of a rotation, but his fastball, slider combination and ability make him a high probability relief/swingman option at least, which the Braves are excellent at stockpiling.

10. JR Ritchie – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | CB-A Round (35) – ATL (2022) | ETA: 2027

A Comp A pick in the 2022 draft, the Braves handed Ritchie $2.4 million to sign him away from UCLA, betting on both his polish as an amateur and projection. Tommy John surgery wiped out most of his 2023 campaign, returning to the mound in June of the 2024 season with slightly diminished stuff, but looked more comfortable as he compiled more starts.

Arsenal

A three pitch mix, Ritchie sat 93-95 MPH with his fastball before surgery, but sat closer to 91-93 MPH upon his return. He posted his highest average fastball velocity of the year in his final outing at 93.1 MPH through 82 pitches, providing some optimism that he can be closer to his pre Tommy John numbers in 2025.

Another Braves pitcher who works across the rubber, Ritchie starts on the first base side, but will plant his foot two thirds of the way towards the third base side of the rubber as he strides. While it’s not quite a cross-fire delivery, it does help Ritchie hide the ball longer.

Ritchie’s slider backed up a bit as well post surgery, but flashed above average prior, at 82-84 MPH. There was some shape variance, which likely was a matter of Ritchie playing with feels, but resulted in a few too many hangers, with five of his six home runs allowed on the season via the slider.

His changeup has the potential to give him a second above average offering generating 16 inches of horizontal movement at 82-84 MPH. His feel for it was inconsistent, but when he was around the zone, he generated strong whiff numbers.

Outlook

It’s a wait and see game for Ritchie as he distances himself further from Tommy John surgery, but he has the potential for an above average three pitch mix with good command, which should easily slot him into the back of a rotation. A reliever fallback is not as intriguing of a proposition for an arm like Ritchie compared to others in the Braves system, placing importance on his ability to develop a consistent feel for all three of his offerings, which he has already flashed.

11. Didier Fuentes – RHP – (Low-A)

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 170 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $75,000 – ATL (2022) | ETA: 2028

It has been a turbulent three seasons for Fuentes, who took the DSL by storm in 2022, earning an aggressive assignment to Low-A in his age 18 season where he completely fell flat, pitching to a 7.27 ERA in 26 innings. In his second taste of Low-A, Fuentes turned in an impressive 2024 season, turning in a 2.74 ERA in 75 2/3 innings with a 32% strikeout rate.

Fuentes is somewhat of a one trick pony at this stage, but it’s a great trick. He threw is 93-95 MPH fastball 70% of the time in the 2024 season, creating an extremely flat approach angle from his 5.1 foot release height, giving hitters fits at the top of the zone and often freezing them at the knees. Opponents hit just .190 vs. his heater in 2024 while he poured in strikes on the pitch at a 73% clip.

The challenge for Fuentes is finding a reliable secondary off of the fastball as he landed all other offerings for a strike barely more than half of the time. His slider is ahead of his splitter, but both have a long way to go. The good news is, Fuentes won’t turn 20 years old until mid June and has

12. Rolddy Muñoz – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 215 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $30,000 – ATL (2017) | ETA: 2025

Muñoz had been Rule 5 eligible for multiple seasons, but was added to the Braves 40 man roster following a 2024 campaign where he struck out 34% of High-A and Double-A batters while trimming his walk rate. He averages 98 MPH with his fastball, touching triple digits, but it leaves a lot to be desired shape wise.

His avenue to the big leagues is his 70 grade slider at 88-91 MPH with sharp, late bite. Opponents hit just .140 against the pitch with an OPS south of .500 in 2024, while righties in particular had little chance, hitting below .100. Muñoz should be a solid relief option with a chance to pitch at high leverage if he can improve his fastball shape.

13. Herick Hernandez – LHP – (Low-A)

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (129), – ATL (2014) | ETA: 2027

Hernandez saw things click on the mound in his sophomore JuCO season at Miami Dade, striking out nearly 30% of hitters. The Reds drafted Hernandez in the 19th round of the 2023 draft, but Hernandez elected to attend the University of Miami where he struggled in terms of run prevention but maintained his gaudy swing and miss numbers, with a strikeout rate of 29% in 70 1/3 innings.

His arm action is long, sweeping behind him as his shoulders point uphill, before releasing the ball straight over the top. His sling shot delivery creates a unique look for hitters with a release point that allows him to create plenty of backspin/ride. The over-the-top nature results in a high 6.3 foot release height, but he averages more than 20 inches of induced vertical break on the 91-93 MPH heater. Hernandez’s best pitch is his gyro slider that flashes plus. The downward action really plays up from his release point and is effective to lefties and righties. The changeup and overall command are a work in progress for Hernandez but he is an intriguing lefty with a good feel to spin the baseball.

14. Blake Burkhalter – RHP – (High-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (76) – ATL (2022) | ETA: 2026

One of the best relievers in the nation at Auburn, the Braves drafted Burkhalter with the intention of stretching him out as a starter. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2023 season, delaying his first full pro campaign to 2024 as he returned to the mound in June. Burkhalter’s velocity climbed as he shook the rust off with his fastball boasting the cut-ride that helped him generate plenty of whiff within the zone as an amateur.

His cutter in the upper 80s is his best secondary offering, picking up plenty of weak contact, particularly against right-handed hitters. His slider lags behind the fastball and cutter, but has a chance to develop into a serviceable third offering. Burkhalter’s arsenal is more geared for getting right-handed hitters out with an OPS allowed below .600 against same-handed hitters, compared to .720 against lefties. Burkhalter projects best as a swing man, but assuming his stuff ticks up in shorter spurts, he could miss enough bats to be a quality relief option. He has the ingredients to be a good Swiss-Army Knife of sorts for a pitching staff.

15. Jhancarlos Lara – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $10,000 – ATL (2021) | ETA: 2025

Lara has high-octane stuff, but struggles to find the zone, walking 16% of batters in 2024. His fastball averaged 97.5 MPH in 2024, though characteristics leave a bit to be desired, resulting in too much hard contact. His plus slider is his best pitch, picking up big whiff numbers at 90 MPH while holding opponents to roughly a .170 batting average.

While the Braves have utilized Lara as a starter at the lower levels, he projects best as a relief arm who could easily boast high-leverage stuff in shorter spurts as he has already proven capable of reaching 101 MPH with is fastball. His command will need to come along to even develop into a reliable relief option.

Other Names to Watch

John Gil – INF – (Low-A): Signing for just over $100,000 as part of the 2023 IFA class, Gil hit his way off the Complex and to Low-A Augusta for two months in his age 18 season in 2024. After hitting .285 with a .409 OBP in the DSL in 2023, Gil posed a nearly identical slash line (.286/.403/.389) in his 51 games at the Complex last season. While power may not be a part of his game, Gil has walked 80 times in his first 138 games and has piled up 60 stolen bases in 71 attempts. He’s a bigger body for a teenager, leading many to believe that he has staying power at shortstop.

Elison Joseph – RHP – (Double-A): A Rule 5 candidate this past offseason, Elison Joseph went unselected after throwing just over 20 innings in his career above High-A. However, Joseph was one of the most dominant relievers in the minor leagues a season ago, throwing to a 2.04 ERA and striking out 76 in 53.0 IP between High-A Rome and Double-A Mississippi. His fastball/slider combination accumulates whiffs in droves, with the upper 90s fastball generating a 36% in-zone whiff rate and the slider resulting in a .145 BAA a season ago. Command issues are holding Joseph back from being a top 15 prospect in this system, but he could easily become a bullpen piece for Atlanta if he reins in the stuff.

Cade Kuehler – RHP – (High-A): The 22-year-old was Atlanta’s second round pick in 2023 out of mid major Campbell University in North Carolina–the same school that has given us both Zach Neto and Thomas Harrington in recent drafts. Kuehler was lighting up the radar gun in the mid-to-high 90s in his draft year at Campbell in 2023, but showed diminished fastball velocity before undergoing Tommy John Surgery midway through the 2024 season. Kuehler is an advanced arm with a feel for four unique pitches, and he will certainly be someone to monitor when he returns with a fresh UCL in 2026.

Nick Montgomery – C – (CPX): Atlanta nearly doubled Montgomery’s slot value in the fifth round of this past draft to pry him away from Arizona State. The size is the first thing that jumps out about Montgomery, checking in at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds behind the dish. How he maneuvers with that frame will be the deciding factor in whether he sticks behind the dish or not, but the immense pop from the young 19-year-old leaves no shortage of intrigue for a player yet to make his professional debut.

Jose Perdomo – SS – (DSL): One of the prized possessions of the 2024 IFA class, Perdomo signed for a whopping $5 million with the Braves before missing all but eight DSL games with a hamstring issue last season. There’s hardly anything to take away from Perdomo’s 20 at-bat sample in the DSL, but the shortstop has long been regarded as having one of the more advanced hit tools in the class and staying power at shortstop. The pricetag along makes him a name to watch.

Anderson Pilar – RHP – (MLB): Pilar was selected by the Braves from the Marlins organization in the Rule 5 Draft this past December, meaning Pilar has to spend the entirety of the 2025 MLB season on the active roster, assuming health. The newly-turned 27-year-old carved from High-A to Triple-A in the Marlins organization in his one full season with them, throwing to a 2.64 ERA and a 71/13 K/BB ratio in 58 innings of work. Pilar’s cutter/slider combination is a shaping nightmare for hitters, and he could ride his supination skills to high leverage if it all works out in Atlanta.

Luke Sinnard – RHP – (CPX): Sinnard was the 99th overall pick in this past year’s draft after striking out 114 hitters and walking just 25 in 86.1 IP out of Indiana’s starting rotation in 2023. The Western Kentucky transfer could’ve given Hoosiers head men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson some frontcourt depth, checking in at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds. The wrinkle in Sinnard’s process was that he missed all of the 2024 college season while recovering from Tommy John Surgery, but the Braves enjoyed what they saw enough in bullpen settings to pull the trigger in the third round. Sinnard’s low 90s heater and pair of breaking balls make him an interesting follow when he toes the mound in a game setting in 2025.

Diego Tornes – OF – (DSL): Signing for just under $2.5 million with the Braves in January, Tornes was a priority for Atlanta in this past IFA cycle. The Cuban-born outfielder won’t turn 17 years old until July 3rd, but he’s already 6-foot-2 and has scouts salivating over what could come from his all-around game. The switch hitting outfielder can’t see a Rated R movie yet, but the billing is certainly there.