Cristian Pache

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #3 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Pache signed with the Braves for $1.4 million as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic and immediately stood out for his defensive prowess in center field. Pache filled out, added strength and became one of the most electric defensive prospects in baseball, but his offensive development has stalled. He began the 2021 season as the Braves’ Opening Day center fielder, but he hit just .111 with 25 strikeouts in 68 plate appearances and was demoted to Triple-A for the rest of the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Pache’s 80-grade defense in center field is unimpeachable, but his bat remains a question mark. He has timing issues at the plate and often has to decide whether he’s sitting on fastballs or breaking stuff, which creates inconsistencies. He has long had issues with a pull-heavy approach and posted the highest strikeout rate (27.5%) of his minor league career in 2021. Pache has gone back and forth with various handsets the Braves have tried to incorporate to get him in better position to hit, with varying levels of success. He has the strength to hit 20 home runs, but he projects to be no more than a below-average hitter. At the very least, Pache will save plenty of runs with his top-of-the-scale glovework, plus-plus speed and plus-plus arm strength in center field.
  
  The Future: Pache’s defense is valuable, but barring a step forward with his approach at the plate, he now seems more like a defensive specialist who hits at the bottom of the lineup rather than the potential All-Star of years past.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #1 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Run: 70. Fielding: 80. Arm: 70.
  Track Record: Signed by the Braves for $1.4 million when he was 16, Pache progressively tapped into more power as he climbed the minor league ladder and, after spending the 2019 season at Double-A and Triple-A, made his big league debut in 2020. Pache had a reserve role during parts of the regular season and saw just four at-bats. He was included on the Braves’ postseason roster and stepped into a starting role in the Championship Series after Adam Duvall suffered an oblique injury. Shortly thereafter he became the seventh major leaguer to hit his first home run in the playoffs—going deep against the Dodgers’ Julio Urias—while showcasing the outstanding defense in center field that has been hyped for years.
  
  Scouting Report: Pache’s postseason offered the Braves a glimpse of what’s to come. After adding around 30 pounds of muscle over the last three years, Pache is solidly built with enough raw power to keep pitchers honest. His strengths still lie on the defensive side of the ball. Pache has the plus-plus speed to cover enough ground in even the most expansive outfields, and his instincts and arm strength elevate him to the level of potentially one of the best center fielders in baseball. He reads the ball off the bat well, takes efficient routes and has the athleticism and natural timing to make highlight-reel diving catches and jumps at the wall. His plus-plus arm makes runners think twice about taking an extra base. It would be a surprise if he never won a Gold Glove. Pache has upside as a hitter, too. The Braves were happy enough with his growth in 2020 to put him on the big league roster. He has enough bat speed to handle the velocity of the modern game, and he pairs it with solid pitch selection and strike-zone recognition. What could limit him as a hitter is an extreme pull tendency at the plate. He hit between 50% and 59% of his batted balls to his pull side from 2017 to 2019 in the minors. For context, the major league average pull rate in 2020 was 41%. And while Pache does have plus raw power, all of his in-game home runs have gone to the far pull side in left field. Figuring out how to use the opposite field will be necessary for Pache to become an average hitter, and a missed 2020 minor league season might have hampered that development.
  
  The Future: After more than holding his own for the Braves in short stints in 2020, Pache should become an outfield regular in 2021. He will immediately be one of the game’s most exciting young defensive players.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #1 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: After failing to hit a home run over his first two pro seasons, Pache has completely shed his reputation as a glove-first, light-hitting center fielder by getting bigger and stronger and learning which pitches he can drive. After hitting a career high nine home runs in 2018, Pache topped that by hitting 12 in 2019, in a season spent primarily in the pitcher-friendly Double-A Southern League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Pache continues to stand out for his elite defensive ability. As a 70-grade runner with a tremendous first step and a 70-grade arm, it's easy to project Pache as a Gold Glove center fielder. He aggressively tracks down balls in the gaps and has well above-average range and impressive route-running ability. What has raised Pache's ceiling, though, is his increased power production. Previously expected to hit between 10-15 homers a season, Pache is now projected by scouts to hit 20-25 home runs. Some have even gone as far as saying 30 home runs are a possibility because of the increased strength and better leverage in his swing. Yet Pache does need to continue refining his approach to get to an average hit tool. He has the physical skills—with electric bat speed, as well as solid pitch selection and strike zone recognition— but he continues to be an extreme pull-oriented hitter who sent more than 55 percent of his batted balls to the left side in 2019. Learning to use the middle and opposite field will help him get on base more frequently and help him avoid being shifted upon. His pure speed will help him leg out infield hits. While Pache is a double-plus runner who clocks times of 4.15 seconds from home to first base from the right side, his speed continues to play better in the outfield. Pache has never been an efficient basestealer, and he showed little progress in that regard in 2019, going a dreadful 8-for-19 (42 percent) in stolen base attempts at Double-A Mississippi, before simply not attempting a stolen base in 26 games at Triple-A Gwinnett.
  
  THE FUTURE: Pache made it to Triple-A as a 20-year-old in 2019, and could likely use some more time there in 2020. But he was ready to fill in if necessary with Atlanta in 2019 and should have a chance to break in as a regular in 2020, adding even more excitement to an outfield built around Ronald Acuña Jr.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #8 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: When the Braves' futures stars played the big league club in an exhibition game, Pache gave a hint of what was to come by hitting a pair of home runs off Sean Newcomb. Before that, he had gone homerless in his first 176 pro games. Pache demonstrated that newfound power during the season with nine home runs and a late-season promotion to Double-A Mississippi.
  
  Scouting Report: Pache can make a case that he's the best defensive center fielder in the minor leagues. He is a plus-plus defender who combines plus-plus speed with a belief that every fly ball is his to catch. He's especially good at running down balls hit over his head. He has a great first step, though his routes can meander at times. Scouts are more mixed on whether Pache is going to hit. He showed improved power and he can now punish pitchers for their mistakes, but he's too aggressive for a potential top-of-the-order hitter and has become pull-focused, while his skills are more suited to using the whole field. He could become an average hitter with 10-12 home run pop, but he strikes out too much and doesn't draw the walks needed to lead off. His speed hasn't paid off as much on the basepaths, as he is not an effective basestealer.
  
  The Future: Pache's age and athleticism give him plenty of potential. Scouts generally see him as a future regular, but not a future star, because they don't see an impact bat. He'll return to Double-A Mississippi to begin the season, but with his defensive ability, he could fill a big league role at any point in 2019 if the Braves needed a fill-in. Ender Inciarte's contract (he's signed through 2021 with a team option for 2022) means either Inciarte or Pache will likely need to be moved at some point.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #9 prospect in 2018
  A top prospect in the 2015 international class, Pache has gotten better since he signed. An above-average runner then, he's now a top-of-the-scale runner. His glove work has similarly improved as he advanced to low Class A Rome in 2017. Pache's aggressive, almost cocky center field defense will get him to the big leagues. He plays shallow, challenging hitters to hit it over his head. If they do, he proves he can track balls over his head with ease. He's one of the best defensive center fielders in the minors and has Gold Glove potential with an above-average arm. Pache's speed plays on the basepaths, too. At the plate, his swing has some length that leads scouts to see a future average hit tool, but he has shown improved strike-zone recognition and solid bat-to-ball skills. Scouts love his athleticism and believe that once he fills out he'll hit for at least average power, even though he has yet to homer as a pro. Pache's bat will determine whether he becomes an impact regular or just a useful, speedy outfielder. He has plenty of time to develop power, which probably won't show up in the expansive parks of the high Class A Florida State League in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #13 prospect in 2017
  Pache ranked as the No. 21 international prospect in the 2015 class, and the Braves signed the young outfielder for $1.4 million. He progressed rapidly in 2016, starting the season in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League before moving up the Appalachian League. He ranked among the Top 10 Prospects in both leagues. A lanky, electric player, Pache has an unorthodox swing with a hard stride but manages to make consistent contact because of his superior hand-eye coordination. He rarely swings and misses, and he has the ability to spray line drives from gap to gap. Pache's pitch recognition and feel for the strike zone need work, but he has overcome those shortcomings to this point because he can hit virtually anything he can reach. Pache has double-plus speed he uses on the basepaths as well as in center field, where he could become a Gold Glove defender. He has exceptional range to both sides and outstanding closing speed with above-average arm strength. Pache needs work coming in on balls and taking better angles, but he is advanced for someone who will play the entire 2017 season, most likely at low Class A Rome, at age 18.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #3 prospect in 2019
  Southern League managers nearly unanimously named Pache as the best defensive outfielder in the league in Best Tools balloting—and with one of the strongest, most accurate arms to boot. "He’s the best defensive outfielder in the league, hands down,” Mobile manager David Newhan said. "Kind of like a young Andruw Jones, but he plays deeper.” Pache has dramatically improved his offensive profile since going homerless in his 2017 full-season debut. This season he used his quick, compact swing to rank second in the SL in extra-base hits (47), fourth in slugging (.474) and sixth in OPS (.814). Pache had one of the most extreme pull-heavy approaches in the SL, making him vulnerable to offspeed pitches away and prone to slumps. He runs well but exhibits poor basestealing instincts.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #3 prospect in 2018
  After sending Ronald Acuna Jr. to the Arizona Fall League a season ago, the Braves gave AFL fans another intriguing outfielder to watch this year with Pache, who just turned 20 years old. The Dominican native may not have the upside of Acuna, but he earned plus-plus grades for both his defense and speed and could be an 80-grade defender by the time he hits Atlanta.

  Pache still has work to do when it comes to developing his hit tool, but scouts believe he’ll get stronger and grow into 20-plus home run power in time. He’s still a couple of years away from making it to the big leagues, but those who believe in Pache see All-Star potential.

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #3 prospect in 2018
  Pache entered the season as a 19-year-old with no professional home runs, but then he swatted eight in the FSL, which he entered as the league's second-youngest player. Pache's calling card has long been his unrivaled defense in center field, but in 2018 he began to show the makings of a complete player. To get to his newfound power, Pache refined his approach to be more patient and wait for a pitch he can drive. When he does that, he can use his natural strength to drive the ball out. Because he's still maturing, scouts can see more power shows if he retains his approach as he fills out. Pache has a case as the best defensive outfielder in the minors. He glides to balls that would otherwise land in the gaps and has an above-average arm. If he continues to improve, Pache could become a two-way threat and a future all-star.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #5 prospect in 2017
  In center field, Pache was a fearless omnivore who gobbled up bleeders just beyond shortstop while capably tracking back on balls to the warning track. He led the league's outfielders in total chances, range factor, assists and double plays. He's an elite center fielder defensively with top of the scale speed and a 60 arm to go with his 70 glove. "He's the most aggressive outfielder I've seen all year," said one scout. At the plate, Pache has more work to do. His hands work well and he has good bat-to-ball skills, but his long swing will limit his ability to hit for average. He has very little power now and doesn't try to lift the ball, but his frame, especially his broad shoulders, leads scouts to believe he could have at least 10-12 home run power down the road.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #10 prospect in 2016
  The Braves signed Pache last year for $1.4 million, then skipped him over the Dominican Summer League this year so he could make his pro debut in the GCL. He continued to perform after a promotion to Rookie-level Danville. Pache is a quick-twitch athlete with plus-plus speed who gets good reads in center field. Prior to signing, he had a screw put in his right elbow to repair a fracture, but he has recovered and has a plus arm, projecting as a plus defender. Pache doesn't have classic hitter's actions, but he gets the bat to the hitting zone quickly and has uncanny hand-eye coordination. He's a high contact hitter whose bat control allows him to connect with pitches even when he expands the strike zone, though he has to improve his pitch recognition and plate discipline against better pitching. He can hit balls over the fence in batting practice, but is an extreme groundball hitter in games, so he will have to adjust his bat path to hit for more power in games.
• 
  Ranked National League #9 prospect in 2016
  Signed for $1.4 million in 2015, Pache made a positive impression in his pro debut, showing increased strength and speed that earned him a promotion from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to Danville. Pache has a chance to develop into a solid all-around player, with average raw power and plus-plus speed. Pache's swing includes a long bat path, and he has some issues maintaining balance, but he showed bat control and natural bat-to-ball ability. Defensively, his quick first step, closing speed and above-average arm were encouraging signs for him to fit the center-field profile.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #84 prospect in 2022
• Ranked Baseball America's #7 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #12 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #85 prospect in 2019

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Pache signed with the Braves for $1.4 million as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic and immediately stood out for his defensive prowess in center field. Pache filled out, added strength and became one of the most electric defensive prospects in baseball, but his offensive development has stalled. He began the 2021 season as the Braves’ Opening Day center fielder, but he hit just .111 with 25 strikeouts in 68 plate appearances and was demoted to Triple-A for the rest of the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Pache’s 80-grade defense in center field is unimpeachable, but his bat remains a question mark. He has timing issues at the plate and often has to decide whether he’s sitting on fastballs or breaking stuff, which creates inconsistencies. He has long had issues with a pull-heavy approach and posted the highest strikeout rate (27.5%) of his minor league career in 2021. Pache has gone back and forth with various handsets the Braves have tried to incorporate to get him in better position to hit, with varying levels of success. He has the strength to hit 20 home runs, but he projects to be no more than a below-average hitter. At the very least, Pache will save plenty of runs with his top-of-the-scale glovework, plus-plus speed and plus-plus arm strength in center field.
  
  The Future: Pache’s defense is valuable, but barring a step forward with his approach at the plate, he now seems more like a defensive specialist who hits at the bottom of the lineup rather than the potential All-Star of years past.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Run: 70. Fielding: 80. Arm: 70.
  Track Record: Signed by the Braves for $1.4 million when he was 16, Pache progressively tapped into more power as he climbed the minor league ladder and, after spending the 2019 season at Double-A and Triple-A, made his big league debut in 2020. Pache had a reserve role during parts of the regular season and saw just four at-bats. He was included on the Braves' postseason roster and stepped into a starting role in the Championship Series after Adam Duvall suffered an oblique injury. Shortly thereafter he became the seventh major leaguer to hit his first home run in the playoffs—going deep against the Dodgers' Julio Urias—while showcasing the outstanding defense in center field that has been hyped for years.
  
  Scouting Report: Pache's postseason offered the Braves a glimpse of what's to come. After adding around 30 pounds of muscle over the last three years, Pache is solidly built with enough raw power to keep pitchers honest. His strengths still lie on the defensive side of the ball. Pache has the plus-plus speed to cover enough ground in even the most expansive outfields, and his instincts and arm strength elevate him to the level of potentially one of the best center fielders in baseball. He reads the ball off the bat well, takes efficient routes and has the athleticism and natural timing to make highlight-reel diving catches and jumps at the wall. His plus-plus arm makes runners think twice about taking an extra base. It would be a surprise if he never won a Gold Glove. Pache has upside as a hitter, too. The Braves were happy enough with his growth in 2020 to put him on the big league roster. He has enough bat speed to handle the velocity of the modern game, and he pairs it with solid pitch selection and strike-zone recognition. What could limit him as a hitter is an extreme pull tendency at the plate. He hit between 50% and 59% of his batted balls to his pull side from 2017 to 2019 in the minors. For context, the major league average pull rate in 2020 was 41%. And while Pache does have plus raw power, all of his in-game home runs have gone to the far pull side in left field. Figuring out how to use the opposite field will be necessary for Pache to become an average hitter, and a missed 2020 minor league season might have hampered that development.
  
  The Future: After more than holding his own for the Braves in short stints in 2020, Pache should become an outfield regular in 2021. He will immediately be one of the game's most exciting young defensive players.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Run: 70. Fielding: 80. Arm: 70.
  Track Record: Signed by the Braves for $1.4 million when he was 16, Pache progressively tapped into more power as he climbed the minor league ladder and, after spending the 2019 season at Double-A and Triple-A, made his big league debut in 2020. Pache had a reserve role during parts of the regular season and saw just four at-bats. He was included on the Braves’ postseason roster and stepped into a starting role in the Championship Series after Adam Duvall suffered an oblique injury. Shortly thereafter he became the seventh major leaguer to hit his first home run in the playoffs—going deep against the Dodgers’ Julio Urias—while showcasing the outstanding defense in center field that has been hyped for years.
  
  Scouting Report: Pache’s postseason offered the Braves a glimpse of what’s to come. After adding around 30 pounds of muscle over the last three years, Pache is solidly built with enough raw power to keep pitchers honest. His strengths still lie on the defensive side of the ball. Pache has the plus-plus speed to cover enough ground in even the most expansive outfields, and his instincts and arm strength elevate him to the level of potentially one of the best center fielders in baseball. He reads the ball off the bat well, takes efficient routes and has the athleticism and natural timing to make highlight-reel diving catches and jumps at the wall. His plus-plus arm makes runners think twice about taking an extra base. It would be a surprise if he never won a Gold Glove. Pache has upside as a hitter, too. The Braves were happy enough with his growth in 2020 to put him on the big league roster. He has enough bat speed to handle the velocity of the modern game, and he pairs it with solid pitch selection and strike-zone recognition. What could limit him as a hitter is an extreme pull tendency at the plate. He hit between 50% and 59% of his batted balls to his pull side from 2017 to 2019 in the minors. For context, the major league average pull rate in 2020 was 41%. And while Pache does have plus raw power, all of his in-game home runs have gone to the far pull side in left field. Figuring out how to use the opposite field will be necessary for Pache to become an average hitter, and a missed 2020 minor league season might have hampered that development.
  
  The Future: After more than holding his own for the Braves in short stints in 2020, Pache should become an outfield regular in 2021. He will immediately be one of the game’s most exciting young defensive players.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 55. Run: 70. Fielding: 80. Arm: 70.
  Track Record: Signed by the Braves for $1.4 million when he was 16, Pache progressively tapped into more power as he climbed the minor league ladder and, after spending the 2019 season at Double-A and Triple-A, made his big league debut in 2020. Pache had a reserve role during parts of the regular season and saw just four at-bats. He was included on the Braves’ postseason roster and stepped into a starting role in the Championship Series after Adam Duvall suffered an oblique injury. Shortly thereafter he became the seventh major leaguer to hit his first home run in the playoffs—going deep against the Dodgers’ Julio Urias—while showcasing the outstanding defense in center field that has been hyped for years.
  
  Scouting Report: Pache’s postseason offered the Braves a glimpse of what’s to come. After adding around 30 pounds of muscle over the last three years, Pache is solidly built with enough raw power to keep pitchers honest. His strengths still lie on the defensive side of the ball. Pache has the plus-plus speed to cover enough ground in even the most expansive outfields, and his instincts and arm strength elevate him to the level of potentially one of the best center fielders in baseball. He reads the ball off the bat well, takes efficient routes and has the athleticism and natural timing to make highlight-reel diving catches and jumps at the wall. His plus-plus arm makes runners think twice about taking an extra base. It would be a surprise if he never won a Gold Glove. Pache has upside as a hitter, too. The Braves were happy enough with his growth in 2020 to put him on the big league roster. He has enough bat speed to handle the velocity of the modern game, and he pairs it with solid pitch selection and strike-zone recognition. What could limit him as a hitter is an extreme pull tendency at the plate. He hit between 50% and 59% of his batted balls to his pull side from 2017 to 2019 in the minors. For context, the major league average pull rate in 2020 was 41%. And while Pache does have plus raw power, all of his in-game home runs have gone to the far pull side in left field. Figuring out how to use the opposite field will be necessary for Pache to become an average hitter, and a missed 2020 minor league season might have hampered that development.
  
  The Future: After more than holding his own for the Braves in short stints in 2020, Pache should become an outfield regular in 2021. He will immediately be one of the game’s most exciting young defensive players.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After failing to hit a home run over his first two pro seasons, Pache has completely shed his reputation as a glove-first, light-hitting center fielder by getting bigger and stronger and learning which pitches he can drive. After hitting a career high nine home runs in 2018, Pache topped that by hitting 12 in 2019, in a season spent primarily in the pitcher-friendly Double-A Southern League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Pache continues to stand out for his elite defensive ability. As a 70-grade runner with a tremendous first step and a 70-grade arm, it’s easy to project Pache as a Gold Glove center fielder. He aggressively tracks down balls in the gaps and has well above-average range and impressive route-running ability. What has raised Pache’s ceiling, though, is his increased power production. Previously expected to hit between 10-15 homers a season, Pache is now projected by scouts to hit 20-25 home runs. Some have even gone as far as saying 30 home runs are a possibility because of the increased strength and better leverage in his swing. Yet Pache does need to continue refining his approach to get to an average hit tool. He has the physical skills—with electric bat speed, as well as solid pitch selection and strike zone recognition— but he continues to be an extreme pull-oriented hitter who sent more than 55 percent of his batted balls to the left side in 2019. Learning to use the middle and opposite field will help him get on base more frequently and help him avoid being shifted upon. His pure speed will help him leg out infield hits. While Pache is a double-plus runner who clocks times of 4.15 seconds from home to first base from the right side, his speed continues to play better in the outfield. Pache has never been an efficient basestealer, and he showed little progress in that regard in 2019, going a dreadful 8-for-19 (42 percent) in stolen base attempts at Double-A Mississippi, before simply not attempting a stolen base in 26 games at Triple-A Gwinnett.
  
  THE FUTURE: Pache made it to Triple-A as a 20-year-old in 2019, and could likely use some more time there in 2020. But he was ready to fill in if necessary with Atlanta in 2019 and should have a chance to break in as a regular in 2020, adding even more excitement to an outfield built around Ronald Acuña Jr. SCOUTING GRADES Hit: 45. Power: 60. Run: 70. Field: 70. Arm: 70. BA GRADE 65 Risk: Medium
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After failing to hit a home run over his first two pro seasons, Pache has completely shed his reputation as a glove-first, light-hitting center fielder by getting bigger and stronger and learning which pitches he can drive. After hitting a career high nine home runs in 2018, Pache topped that by hitting 12 in 2019, in a season spent primarily in the pitcher-friendly Double-A Southern League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Pache continues to stand out for his elite defensive ability. As a 70-grade runner with a tremendous first step and a 70-grade arm, it's easy to project Pache as a Gold Glove center fielder. He aggressively tracks down balls in the gaps and has well above-average range and impressive route-running ability. What has raised Pache's ceiling, though, is his increased power production. Previously expected to hit between 10-15 homers a season, Pache is now projected by scouts to hit 20-25 home runs. Some have even gone as far as saying 30 home runs are a possibility because of the increased strength and better leverage in his swing. Yet Pache does need to continue refining his approach to get to an average hit tool. He has the physical skills—with electric bat speed, as well as solid pitch selection and strike zone recognition— but he continues to be an extreme pull-oriented hitter who sent more than 55 percent of his batted balls to the left side in 2019. Learning to use the middle and opposite field will help him get on base more frequently and help him avoid being shifted upon. His pure speed will help him leg out infield hits. While Pache is a double-plus runner who clocks times of 4.15 seconds from home to first base from the right side, his speed continues to play better in the outfield. Pache has never been an efficient basestealer, and he showed little progress in that regard in 2019, going a dreadful 8-for-19 (42 percent) in stolen base attempts at Double-A Mississippi, before simply not attempting a stolen base in 26 games at Triple-A Gwinnett.
  
  THE FUTURE: Pache made it to Triple-A as a 20-year-old in 2019, and could likely use some more time there in 2020. But he was ready to fill in if necessary with Atlanta in 2019 and should have a chance to break in as a regular in 2020, adding even more excitement to an outfield built around Ronald Acuña Jr.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Southern League managers nearly unanimously named Pache as the best defensive outfielder in the league in Best Tools balloting—and with one of the strongest, most accurate arms to boot. "He’s the best defensive outfielder in the league, hands down,” Mobile manager David Newhan said. "Kind of like a young Andruw Jones, but he plays deeper.” Pache has dramatically improved his offensive profile since going homerless in his 2017 full-season debut. This season he used his quick, compact swing to rank second in the SL in extra-base hits (47), fourth in slugging (.474) and sixth in OPS (.814). Pache had one of the most extreme pull-heavy approaches in the SL, making him vulnerable to offspeed pitches away and prone to slumps. He runs well but exhibits poor basestealing instincts.
• August, 2018 Scouting Report
  After sending Ronald Acuna Jr. to the Arizona Fall League a season ago, the Braves gave AFL fans another intriguing outfielder to watch this year with Pache, who just turned 20 years old. The Dominican native may not have the upside of Acuna, but he earned plus-plus grades for both his defense and speed and could be an 80-grade defender by the time he hits Atlanta.

  Pache still has work to do when it comes to developing his hit tool, but scouts believe he’ll get stronger and grow into 20-plus home run power in time. He’s still a couple of years away from making it to the big leagues, but those who believe in Pache see All-Star potential.

• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Pache came out of last season as an outstanding defensive center fielder who needed to figure out how to hit the ball in the air. This year the ball has started to leave the park because he has made the anticipated step from defensive asset to well-rounded prospect. Pache is brilliant in center field and is doing a better job of laying off breaking balls out of the zone, which has helped him to get more hittable pitches.