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Atlanta Braves Farm System Update

The Braves farm system has developed one of the strongest group of prospects in baseball. How are Atlanta's top prospects are performing?

The Atlanta Braves farm system has managed to build what is widely recognized as the best stash of minor league prospects in all of baseball, with the recent addition of infielder Travis Demeritte. Let’s take a look at some of the recent successes, downfalls, and surprises coming out of the farm system.

Braves Farm System Update

Pitching

The Braves top pitching prospect, Sean Newcomb, has recently disappointed. Many people in Braves country hoped to see Newcomb make his debut in the 2016 season, but with his recent performances, that seems very unlikely. Newcomb currently sits at a 4.57 ERA with the Double-A Mississippi Braves. Aside from his six shutout innings pitched against Jacksonville last week, Newcomb has given up eighteen earned runs in his last 16.2 innings pitched. His performance will need to improve dramatically if he has hopes of reaching the big leagues this season.

Kolby Allard has looked very promising in his recent starts for the Rome Braves. Five of his last eight starts have been shutout appearances, with two starts only allowing two earned runs. His ERA is currently sitting at 3.58. It would not be surprising to see the Braves move him to Mississippi very soon if he keeps his performance up.

Touki Toussaint has also looked good for the Rome Braves. He hasn’t had many shutouts like Allard, aside from his most recent start, but he has managed a 2.78 ERA in his last ten starts, which is very impressive and definitely draws attention from the clubhouse. Toussaint should also be moving to AA in the near future.

Ian Anderson, the Braves first round pick in the 2016 draft, has pitched eleven innings in the rookie league and still hasn’t given up a run, which of course is impressive. The Braves will likely keep him in the rookie league and allow him to adapt from high school ball, seeing that he’s only 18, but in the future he will definitely make for a great starting pitcher in the Braves organization.

Mike Soroka, drafted in the first round of the 2015 draft by the Braves, has had some inconsistent success for the Rome Braves. His ERA sits at 3.35 and his record at 3-9, but he has only given up six runs in his last 16.2 innings pitched. He will hopefully continue his current hot streak, but he has proven to be an inconsistent starter so far in 2016.

Position Players

First, let’s look at the most recent addition to the Braves farm. Demeritte was acquired by the Braves when they traded SP Lucas Harrell and RP Dario Alvarez to the Texas Rangers for an exciting young bat and skilled defensive player. Harrell looked good in his recent starts for the Braves, but his skill at his age of 31 doesn’t exactly fit with the “future” mindset of the organization. Alvarez was doing good as a reliever, but at the age of 27 he had spent most of his career in the minor leagues. He simply didn’t have much upside left.
Trade these two older pitchers for a young exciting bat, and the Braves are back to rebuilding. The organization has spent so much time adding pitching to the farm that they have seen a lack of power. Demeritte brings a good combo of power and defense; He just needs to work on eliminating his strikeouts before he can make it to the big leagues.
Dansby Swanson of course is not a name to be left out when discussing the Braves farm. His average of .276 is decent, but his OBP and OPS are what stand out. Including his stints for both the Carolina Mudcats and Mississippi Braves, Swanson has managed a .361 OBP. His OPS of .793 is very impressive, and his defense never needs to be questioned. Swanson, of course, will be a big part of the organization’s future.
Ozzie Albies‘ batting average has been better in Mississippi than it was in Gwinnett, but he has still produced a .299 batting average in 2016 with a .785 OPS. Albies’ defense is, as it always has been, outstanding.
With the addition of Demeritte, along with the acquisition of Kevin Maitan, the Braves have added two great infield prospects to go with Swanson and Albies. Either Swanson or Albies will likely make a move to second base, as they both will be wanted in Atlanta in the near future. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Demeritte or Maitain move around in the infield. Expect to see Austin Riley in Atlanta soon also.
The Braves are building an infield and a pitching staff that will last long into the future. While the present is bleak for the Braves, the farm system gives us a look into the bright future of the organization.
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Main Photo:

LAKELAND, FL – MARCH 15: Dansby Swanson #80 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 15, 2016 in Lakeland, Florida. The Tigers defeated the Braves 10-6. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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