2017 Atlanta Braves Midseason Top 10 Prospects
SEE ALSO: Midseason Top 10 Prospects
| Braves Midseason Top 10 |
| 1. Ronald Acuna, OF |
| 2. Kolby Allard, LHP |
| 3. Ozzie Albies, 2B/SS |
| 4. Mike Soroka, RHP |
| 5. Kyle Wright, RHP |
| 6. Sean Newcomb, LHP |
| 7. Ian Anderson, RHP |
| 8. Kevin Maitan, SS |
| 9. Luiz Gohara, LHP |
| 10. Bryse Wilson, RHP |
All along, 2017 was assured to be a mulligan for the Braves. It’s a freebie.
With a new ballpark opening to ensure that fans would stream to the northern suburbs of Atlanta no matter what, the rebuilding Braves’ realistic goal for 2017 was progress, not playoffs.
In many ways, they’ve met that goal. Atlanta is in second place in the NL East. They trail the Nationals by an insurmountable distance and are on the very periphery of the wild-card race. But by playing right around .500 ball, they have shown their rebuild is taking steps toward completion.
The Braves still have arguably the best farm system in baseball with a slew of prospects scattered all the way from Triple-A to the lowest levels. They’ve graduated Mike Foltynewicz and almost Sean Newcomb as solid members of the starting rotation. Shortstop Dansby Swanson’s big league acclimation has not gone as smoothly.
As the trade deadline nears, the Braves are logically sellers, but only in a modest way. It makes sense to see if there is any demand for second baseman Brandon Phillips (a pending free agent) with Ozzie Albies about ready step in to replace him. Similarly, starting pitchers R.A. Dickey and Jaime Garcia could land modest returns as innings-eating starters. Even recent pickup first baseman Matt Adams might make sense in a deal now that Freddie Freeman has returned from injury.
But none of those players the Braves have to deal. It also doesn’t mean the Braves won’t be willing to take on salary for veterans in other deals, much like they did with Matt Kemp last year.
Ideally, Atlanta is going to put together a nearly entirely homegrown starting rotation in the coming years as Mike Soroka, Kolby Allard, Luiz Gohara and others compete to join Julio Teheran, Foltyniewicz and Newcomb. The lineup will need work, but Ronald Acuna, the team’s top prospect, and Albies aren’t far away.
1. Ronald Acuna, OF
Triple-A Gwinnett
Age: 19
Acuna came into the season as a talented player, but one with just 40 games of experience in full-season ball. He is now in Triple-A, having posted a .306/.361/.505 line between high Class A, Double-A and Triple-A. He’s a center fielder with a great arm, plenty of power and while he is an over-aggressive hitter at times, he has solid contact skills, too. Acuna is on a fast track similar to Andruw Jones, Rafael Furcal and Andrelton Simmons in years past and should make his way to Atlanta soon.
2. Kolby Allard, LHP
Double-A Mississippi
Age: 19
It’s easy to gloss over just how difficult the task Allard has handled with aplomb. He’s a 19-year-old who skipped over high Class A and immediately became one of the most consistent starters in the Southern League. His stuff isn’t as eye-popping as Luiz Gohara’s, but his combination of solid stuff across the board and polish make him a long-term rotation option.
3. Ozzie Albies, 2B/SS
Triple-A Gwinnett
Age: 20
Albies season has been derailed at times by injury, but when he’s gotten onto the field, he’s shown that should be a capable double-play partner for Dansby Swanson. Albies is a much better hitter from the righthand side than as a lefty, but he’s a well-rounded, high floor player as a table-setter.
4. Mike Soroka, RHP
Double-A Mississippi
Age: 19
If Allard’s feat is impressive, Soroka has been even better. He’s second in the Southern League in ERA (10-5, 2.38) and third in WHIP (1.02). Soroka gets tarred as a righthander with average stuff, but it’s better than that, as he showed with a number of 95-mph fastballs at the Futures Game. Soroka is a likely mid-rotation starter, and is one who is moving incredibly quickly.
5. Kyle Wright, RHP
Rookie-level GCL Braves
Age: 21
Wright has begun his pro career with what is expected to be a light workload after he threw 103 innings for Vanderbilt. Wright’s big test will begin next spring as he preps for his first full pro season and attempts to live up to his status as the No. 5 overall pick.
6. Sean Newcomb, LHP
Atlanta
Age: 24
Newcomb has always had the stuff to be a big league starter, but his control is never been consistent enough. So far, in a little over a month in the big leagues, he’s managed to show just enough control to be a viable big league starter. He is likely to remain wild, but if he can limit it just enough he has the stuff and durability to be a quality rotation piece.
7. Ian Anderson, RHP
Low Class A Rome
Age: 19
Anderson’s first full pro season has been exactly what the organization hoped for. He has a plus fastball and a big breaking curveball and so far no one is hitting him hard–opponents are slugging under .290 against him. Anderson sat for a couple of weeks and hasn’t thrown more than three innings since his return July 15, but it is by plan to limit his innings.
8. Kevin Maitan, SS
Rookie-level Danville
Age: 17
Maitan got off to a delayed start thanks to a hamstring injury, but so far he’s been exactly the kind of dynamic player everyone anticipated. He had four multi-hit games in his first eight games in the GCL and was promoted to Danville.
9. Luiz Gohara, LHP
Double-A Mississippi
Age: 20
Gohara has the best stuff of any starting pitcher in the Braves’ organization. He carries 96-97 mph deep into games and at his best he can touch 100. The reasons to remain cautious about Gohara revolve around his conditioning and durability. His 82.1 innings this year is already a career-high.
10. Bryse Wilson, RHP
Low Class A Rome
Age: 19
Wilson was the fourth high school pitcher the Braves drafted in 2016, but his stuff has been better than Joey Wentz’s or Kyle Muller’s. Wilson sits 91-93 mph with a more consistent breaking ball. His changeup has work to do, but he has the potential for a solid three-pitch mix.
RISING
• C Alex Jackson has put himself back on the prospect map. He’s still learning how to catch as a pro, but he’s finally tapping into the power potential that once made him among the top prospects in the 2014 draft class
• LHP Joey Wentz has dominated the South Atlantic League with an average fastball, above-average control and excellent pitchability.
• C Brett Cumberland showed much better power in a return to low Class A Rome. He’s been a slow-mover so far, but he’s a switch-hitting catcher with bat speed.
FALLING
• LHP Max Fried has battled blister issues and his stuff isn’t as firm or as sharp as it was last year. The results haven’t been pretty. Fried is 2-11, 6.44 this year.
• 2B Travis Demeritte does have excellent power potential for a second baseman, but his poor pitch recognition continues to hamper him. He’s hitting .213/.292/.378.
HURTING
• OF Dustin Peterson missed most of the first half with a broken hamate bone in his hand.
• RHP A.J. Minter missed most of April and May with a groin injury.
• RHP Patrick Weigel will be sidelined into 2018 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
• RHP Dan Winkler, still subject to Rule 5 roster restrictions, is on a rehab assignment as he attempts to return from a fractured elbow.
GRADUATING
• SS Dansby Swanson has had a poor first half in Atlanta, but the team still sees him as its shortstop for the rest of the decade and beyond.
• RHP Luke Jackson has been a passable reliever as his control has wavered between frightening and playable.
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