Spring training is quickly approaching, and it is that time of year when hope springs eternal for every Major League Baseball team, player and prospect! The Atlanta Braves are a team entering their third year of a complete rebuild of the organization following a disappointing 2014 season. Results at the MLB level were disappointing in 2015 and 2016, but a lot of young talent has been acquired along with a growing and talented farm system. Season projections do not hold the Braves in high regard. However, there is a growing sense of optimism around the franchise, and here a list of the top 20 prospects that have contributed to that optimism.
Atlanta Braves Top 20 Prospects Part One
Honorable Mentions:
Rio Ruiz – 3B
Luke Jackson – RHP
Ricardo Sanchez – LHP
Dylan Moore – INF
- A.J. Minter – LHP
Minter was selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2015 amateur draft. The lefty played three seasons at Texas A&M where he made appearances out of the bullpen and as a starter. The Braves assigned Minter to Single-A Rome as a reliever to start 2016, but he did not stay there for long. Minter appeared in five games and notched two saves without allowing a run before a quick promotion to Advanced-A Carolina. He made eight appearances for Carolina while notching nine innings of scoreless ball before another swift promotion to Double-A Mississippi.
All-in-all, Minter made 31 relief appearances across three minor league levels in 2015. He finished with a sparkling 1.30 ERA, two saves and one win over 34.2 innings pitched. Minter recorded 47 strikeouts while issuing just 11 walks with opposing batters compiling just a .149 batting average against. Expectations will be high for Minter as he begins his 2017 season. He will be a non-roster invite to spring training, and Mark Bowman has labeled Minter Atlanta’s best relief prospect since Craig Kimbrel.
- Cristian Pache – OF
Pache came to the Braves at just 16-years old via an international signing in the summer of 2015. He went on to appear in 57 games with two different teams in 2016. Pache made his debut in the Gulf Coast League (GCL) and played 27 games before moving on to Danville. He posted a slash line for the season of .309/.349/.391 with 11 extra-base hits, 21 RBI and 11 steals.
The numbers posted by Pache do not immediately jump off the screen, but there are a few points to consider. Pache competed in 2016 at the age of 17 before turning 18 in November. He is incredibly young, but still showed a knack for getting on base in his first professional season. Pache is still a few years away from the big leagues, but there is no denying his talent. A strong season could vault Pache much higher on this list heading into 2018.
- Kyle Muller – LHP
Muller was selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2016 amateur player draft. The southpaw was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year for his senior season at Jesuit College Prep in Dallas. Muller was nearly unhittable as a senior with an 8-0 record and ERA of just 0.46. Even more impressive was the fact that Muller was not known for his pitching alone. He posted 15 home runs, 52 RBI and 42 runs scored as a senior.
The Braves signed Muller with a $2.5 million signing bonus and assigned the lefty to the GCL. He was impressive in his 10 appearances, nine of which were starts. Muller worked 27.2 innings with an ERA of 0.65, 38 strikeouts and .144 batting average against. He is primed for his first full professional season barring any setbacks and could impress in the low-minors this year.
- Dustin Peterson – OF
Peterson originally came to Atlanta as part of the trade that sent Justin Upton to the Padres. He posted his best season last year en route to being named Atlanta’s Organizational Player of the Year. The outfielder appeared in 132 games for Double-A Mississippi and was a large reason why they made the playoffs. Peterson led the team in hits (148), doubles (38), home runs (12), RBI (88) and total bases (226) while also finishing top-five in walks, OBP, slugging and OPS. He was arguably the most consistent minor league player for the Braves in 2016.
Peterson will head into 2017 as one of two outfielders to receive a non-roster invite to spring training. That being said, it remains a tough task for Peterson to break through to the big league team this year. Barring an injury, Atlanta has three solid players in place in Ender Inciarte, Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis. The fourth outfield spot will more than likely be covered by utility players such as Jace Peterson or Chase d’Arnaud. Another strong season in the minors is likely in store for Peterson with a mid-season call up a possibility.
- Alex Jackson – OF/C
Jackson is one of the newest members to Atlanta’s loaded farm system. He was acquired via a trade with the Mariners for pitchers Rob Whalen and Max Povse. Jackson was a high school pitcher who was shifted to the outfield by the Mariners. He has shown flashes of power potential at the plate, but has been mostly inconsistent over parts of four seasons.
Jackson appeared in 92 games at the Single-A level last season while posting 11 home runs, 55 RBI and 43 runs. Strikeouts were one of Jackson’s biggest problems with 103 last season that led to a .243 batting average. Jackson stands as the biggest prospect gamble of the current front office regime, but people continue to like his power stroke. It also remains unclear which position the Braves will want Jackson to play, but there have been rumors that they may attempt to move him back to catcher. Regardless of his position, Jackson needs a strong season to get back on track for the future.
- Lucas Sims – RHP
Sims was a first round pick by the Braves in 2012 out of local Brookwood High School. He has since appeared at essentially every minor league level over parts of five seasons. Sims posted a 4.40 ERA over 28 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A last season, but that does not tell the full story. He began the season with three solid starts in Mississippi where he allowed just three earned runs while striking out 26 in 14.2 innings pitched. Sims’ performance earned him a promotion to Gwinnett where he never gained a lot of traction. He allowed five or more earned runs in five of his 10 starts at Gwinnett which led to a 7.56 ERA and a demotion back to Mississippi.
Sims rebounded and finished the season with a 2.67 ERA over his 17 starts Double-A, but his performance at Triple-A clouds his outlook for the future. He has made just 11 appearances out of the bullpen in his career. It does not appear the Braves plan to utilize Sims as a reliever moving forward. Sims will certainly have a shot to improve his stock this season, but it is no secret that the Braves system is stocked with top-notch pitching. A strong 2017 would open up more options for Sims. However, it is hard to see him returning to a top-10 organizational ranking.
- Luiz Gohara – LHP
Gohara is another prospect Atlanta acquired from the Mariners this offseason. He is also highly touted as a potential ace and coming off a fantastic season. Gohara went 7-2 over 13 starts at the Single-A level in 2016. He posted a fantastic 1.81 ERA in 69.2 innings pitched with 81 strikeouts and just two home runs allowed. Improved control would be a goal for Gohara in 2017, but it is hardly a deal-breaker when compared to his talent level. Gohara will aim to build off his best season with a full season of quality pitching. A full season could vault Gohara into a top-10 ranking to start 2018.
- Joey Wentz – LHP
Wentz was a first round selection of the Braves in 2016. He was taken four spots ahead of fellow Atlanta prospect Muller. The Braves did not hesitate to sign Wentz with a $3.05 million signing bonus. Wentz was assigned to the GCL and made an immediate impression. He made four starts without allowing a run while striking out 18 with five walks in 12 innings pitched with opponents posting a .083 against.
It was in Danville that Wentz began to struggle. He made eight starts while posting a 5.06 ERA in 32 innings. Batters did hit Wentz more in Danville, but he also struggled with control while issuing 20 walks. He did end the season with three straight starts of two earned runs or fewer, but it is still early to determine anything significant. Wentz would arguably be a top-10 prospect in most other organizations based on his talent. He winds up at 13 in Atlanta with seven pitchers ahead of him. With that being said, Wentz’s future is as bright as any young southpaw around.
- Travis Demeritte – 2B
Atlanta acquired Demeritte from the Rangers around midseason. The second-baseman spent the rest of 2016 boosting his value moving forward. Demeritte finished 2016 with 28 home runs, a .554 slugging percentage and a .915 OPS at the Advanced-A level. He finished up that season with a strong showing at the Arizona Fall League where he was named to the AFL Top Prospects Team.
Demeritte is a legit power prospect that plays second base, which is a rare combination. He played shortstop in high school and has also played some at third base. It is this versatility and a combination of speed and power that make Demeritte a special breed to watch moving forward. Demeritte is one of two infielders to receive a non-roster invite from the Braves. (It is worth noting that the other is Ozzie Albies. More on him later.) Making it onto the Opening Day roster seems virtually impossible for Demeritte. Sean Rodriguez, Peterson, and d’Arnaud are all players with more experience and a similar positional skillset. It is also likely that Albies would receive the nod by coaches if there was an opening coming out of spring training. Still, Demeritte should take this spring as an opportunity to get some top-notch experience heading into 2017.
- Austin Riley – 3B
Riley is one of the more intriguing prospects in Atlanta’s system. Many scouts evaluated him as a pitcher leading up to the draft in 2015. Instead, the Braves drafted him as a third baseman. So far it appears to be the best bet. Riley burst onto the scene by appearing in 60 games in 2015. He hit .304 with a .544 slugging percentage, 12 home runs, 14 doubles and 40 RBI in his debut season.
Riley was promoted to Single-A Rome where he played in 129 games in 2016. The young slugger began the season with a dismal stretch. Riley’s numbers in 43 games through May 27 were .229/.280/.367 with just three home runs and 62 strikeouts to just 38 hits. It would have been hard to begin a season with a worse line. Fortunately, Riley found his stroke and began his trend upward. From May 28 through Sept. 5, Riley slashed .292/.346/.535 with an .881 OPS, 17 home runs, 44 extra-base hits, 61 RBI and 96 hits. There are some detractors who have argued that Riley simply had one “hot streak,” but it looks more like he has turned a corner. Every young player must figure out how to overcome struggles. Riley’s poor start to 2016 was simply a stumble on the way to greater things. Look for Riley to make even more noise in 2017.
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