Braves’ JR Ritchie Prepares To Blast Off In 2025
The Braves eagerly await a full season from 21-year-old righthander JR Ritchie, the flamethrower who faded into the background while recovering from Tommy John surgery for most of the past two seasons.
Drafted 35th overall in 2022 out of high school in Washington, Ritchie showed gaudy strikeout potential and erratic command in four starts for Low-A Augusta in 2023. He struck out 25 of the 53 Carolina League batters he faced but required surgery that May that knocked him out for a season and a half.
Ritchie returned for 49.2 innings in 2024, including 32.1 for Augusta and 10 for High-A Rome. He produced a 2.90 ERA with 56 strikeouts against 17 walks.
His most impressive work came in Augusta, where Ritchie had a 1.95 ERA and generated a 40-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The righty even pitched five no-hit innings in his 2024 debut with the affiliate.
Those were extremely encouraging post-surgery returns for Ritchie. His velocity was in the low 90s, but he hovered mid 90s and hit 98 mph before his surgery, so that will bear watching moving forward.
Ritchie’s slider has been his out pitch, while his changeup remains a work in progress. His control—which was among the more positive developments in his return—will determine his track.
The Braves had hopes that Ritchie could move swiftly when they drafted him. Former vice president of scouting Dana Brown said he was “shocked” that Ritchie fell to their selection.
With just 77.1 minor league innings accrued, Ritchie has a lot left to prove. He should be viewed as one of the top risers in this system and a potential breakout for 2025.
SHORT NOTES
— Like Ritchie, the Braves drafted prep righthander Owen Murphy in 2022, and he has shown swing-and-miss stuff. Also like Ritchie, he required Tommy John surgery. Murphy, 21, will be out of sight but shouldn’t be out of mind for most of the 2025 season. He could be a key arm in the Braves’ future.
— Shortstop Jose Perdomo, the Braves’ top international signee in the 2024 cycle, will be among the more interesting prospects next spring. Just 18, Perdomo is a long way away from the majors, but he could make a name for himself quickly. Remember, too, that the Braves don’t have a long-term shortstop in place. Orlando Arcia is a solid but unspectacular starter at age 30.
