The Atlanta Braves have been National League East Champions for two consecutive seasons. In those two seasons, the Braves fell in the first round to the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Braves are set up for future success in the MLB in large part thaks to how good their farm system is.
Atlanta knows how to draft players and develop them to have successful careers. The Atlanta Braves play in a tough NL East division with the New York Mets, Washington Nationals, and Philadelphia Phillies but still continue to come out on top. The Miami Marlins are also only a couple of years away from being serious contenders in the National League.
Atlanta is rumored to be interested in some top talent at the trade deadline every year because of how stacked their farm system is. It is going to be interesting to see which of the prospects for the Braves will make an impact next.
Who are some of the top prospects in their farm system?
The top prospect in Atlanta’s farm system is outfielder Cristian Pache. He is projected to be an everyday player at the next level and will be paired with Ronald Acuna, Jr. whenever he reaches the majors.
Pache is currently in Triple-A with the Gwinnett Stripers. He is projected to reach the majors in 2020 … if we even have a season. Pache also dons a really strong skill set.
Pache is an international player who was signed as a free agent on July 3, 2015. His batting average last season was .277 while he added 12 home runs and 61 RBI along with eight stolen bases. His on-base percentage was .340. Pache appeared in 130 games last season with two different affiliates.
Along with Cristian Pache and Ronald Acuna, Jr. in the future outfield, Drew Waters is not far behind in Atlanta’s farm system. He is expected to round out the Atlanta outfield in the immediate future but is currently in Double-A with the Mississippi Braves.
Waters is also projected to reach the majors this season. While he may have more power than Pache, Pache is expected to be the better player down the road.
Waters played for two different teams last season in the minors. He appeared in 130 games, batting .309 with seven home runs, 52 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. His on-base percentage was .360.
The third-best prospect in the Braves’ farm system is right-handed pitcher Ian Anderson, who is also projected to reach the majors in 2020. Anderson has the tools to be a No. 1 or a 2 pitcher one day at the next level.
Anderson is very good with a fastball that reaches 96 MPH and a reliable power curve. He also gets batters to either swing and miss or hit into ground-outs. Anderson pitched for two different teams last season in the minors. His record was 8-7 with a 3.38 ERA. In 26 games pitched, he hurled 135.2 innings and gave up 56 runs on 105 hits. Anderson walked 65 batters and struck out 172.
The next best prospect in the pipeline is right-handed pitcher Kyle Wright, who has been in the big leagues a couple of times already. Those stints have not turned out well for him in general and it is possible that he could be traded; it wouldn’t be surprising to see him not a part of their future plans.
Wright was the fifth overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. He played college baseball at the University of Vanderbilt, a school that usually produces very good pitchers.
Wright appeared in seven games last season for Atlanta, starting four of them. His record was 0-3 with an 8.69 ERA. In 19.2 innings pitched, Wright gave up 24 hits and 11 runs. He also walked 13 batters and struck out 18. It’s worth noting that he posted better numbers as a prospect in the minors.
Wright pitched in 21 games last season with the Gwinnett Stripers in Tiple-A. His record was 11-4 with a 4.17 ERA. In 112.1 innings pitched, he gave up 107 hits and 55 runs. He also walked 35 batters and struck out 116.
Wright seemed to be rushed into the big leagues and his command can be wild at various moments. It will be interesting to see if it will ever be fixed. His fastball can reach the 90s, but will his breaking pitches ever be controlled?
The next prospects in the Braves’ farm system are catcher Shea Langeliers, right-handed pitcher Bryce Wilson, shortstop Braden Shewmake, and left-handed pitcher Kyle Muller.
The Braves have a very bright future ahead of them. If they do this right, they have the potential to win a World Series or two.
They have not a world title since the 1995 season when they knocked off the Cleveland Indians in six games.
Prospect rankings via MLB Pipeline.
