Cade Kuehler Helps Replenish Braves’ Pitching Pipeline
Using the compensatory draft pick it gained from the free agent departure of Dansby Swanson, Atlanta selected Campbell righthander Cade Kuehler with the 70th overall pick this year.
It was the Braves’ third pick in the 2023 draft, one they are hopeful will be another promising piece as the organization replenishes its minor league pitching depth.
The Braves saw real strikeout potential with the 21-year-old Kuehler, who fanned 91 hitters in 73 innings as a junior. He had a 2.71 ERA.
The 6-foot, 215-pound Kuehler throws a lively fastball that has topped out around 98 mph. He complements it with a slider, curveball and changeup.
“He has a power fastball,” Braves scouting director Ronit Shah said. “He misses a lot of bats with it. His fastball is definitely electric. It’s a big reason he’s had the success he’s had. It’s definitely an out pitch. It’s his primary pitch, and he can pitch off the fastball.”
Kuehler pitched in two games for Low-A Augusta after the draft, so his trajectory will be clearer in the upcoming season. If he falters as a starter, a reliever role is a reasonable fallback option.
The Braves have zeroed in on pitching in recent draft classes, taking current Top 10 Prospects AJ Smith Shawver, who ranks No. 1 in the system, and Spencer Schwellenbach in 2021; JR Ritchie and Owen Murphy in 2022 and Hurston Waldrep, Drue Hackenberg and Kuehler in 2023. All seven are righthanders.
SHORT NOTES
— The Braves have leaned into college pitchers, which ideally gives the organization proximity value. Hurston Waldrep, the club’s 2023 first-round pick, could debut as early as 2024. Kuehler could conceivably be a fast riser, too, as Shah has noted his intense college workload, totaling 201 innings across three seasons.
