Predicting the Atlanta Braves Single-A+ Affiliate: The Carolina Mudcats Rotation

A Look At The 2016 Carolina Mudcats’ Rotation

Last week we looked into the five-man rotation battle that the Mississippi Braves will be dealing with at the start of the 2016 season.  Today, we’ll look at the rotation of the Atlanta Braves Class A Advanced Affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats.  We’ll continue with our rotation predictions with the following links of the previous teams covered.

Atlanta Braves Rotation Predictions

Gwinnett Braves Rotation Predictions

Mississippi Braves Rotation Predictions

Carolina Mudcats Rotation Predictions

Rome Braves Rotation Predictions

The Mudcats

The 2015 Carolina Mudcats had a pretty solid season going 71-68, but still fell 10.5 games behind the Carolina League Southern divisional winner.  Within the 2015 season, they had 16 different pitchers make a start for them.  Two pitchers threw for over 130 innings last year – Blair Walters and Seth Webster…no one else eclipsed 100 innings.

The pitchers that started over 10 games last year were…

Walters started 22 games

Webster started 19 games

Brandon Barker started 17 games

Yean Carlos Gil started 17 games

Andrew Waszak started 12 games

Andrew Thurman started 11 games

Before we begin looking into who’s going to fill up the five spots in the rotation, let’s cross some names off the list.  The pitcher who started the most games for the Mudcats in 2015, Blair Walters, is now a free agent.  Andrew Waszak has voluntarily retired and Andrew Thurman I have slotted in my Mississippi Braves rotation.

Speaking of, let’s remind you of my Mississippi rotation predictions – Sean Newcomb, Lucas Sims, John Gant, Chris Ellis and Andrew Thurman.  You may disagree with a few names, but hey, it’s a guessing game at this point.

My predictions to start the 2016 season with the Carolina Mudcats: Zack Bird, Seth Webster, Brandon Barker, Yean Carlos Gil and Max Povse with relief pitcher being Mauricio Cabrera…though very possible he’s with Mississippi since he finished the 2015 season there.

The Braves received Bird when they traded Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Jose Peraza to the Dodgers for Hector Olivera, Paco Rodriguez and Bird.  The 6’4″ 205 pound righty got a taste of the Braves Double-A Mississippi team at the end of the 2015 season.  He pitched in three games at that level, but I think he needs more time in Single-A…also, there’s little room in Double-A.  Bird is a 21-year-old top 20 prospect for the Braves and will open eyes in 2016.

The Braves signed Webster on May 18, 2015 as a free agent and had a fantastic season for the Mudcats.  He started 19 games and finished with an 8-7 record with a 2.82 ERA in 130.2 innings pitched.  He totaled 96 strikeouts compared to just eight walks!  Webster is 26-years-old already, but the 6’5″ 205 pound right-handed pitcher will look to continue his success in 2016.

Barker had a successful 2015 season with the Mudcats and probably will stay here given the small window to advance at this point.  He started 17 games with an 8-5 record, a 3.00 ERA and 64 strikeouts compared to 24 walks.  The Braves drafted Barker in the 2014 MLB draft in the 16th round out of Mercer University.  Still young, 23-years-old, he has a chance to be rise within the organization.

Gil, another veteran with the Mudcats, will most likely get assigned there again in 2016.  He pitched in 17 games for the Single-A+ team with a 5.16 ERA and a 4-10 record.  The 25-year-old left-handed pitcher has shown signs that he can be a top 20 prospect, but other times looks like he needs development time.

Next: Braves Top 100 Prospects: #9 Mallex Smith

Povse got a little taste with the Mudcats in 2015 as he started five games…he didn’t pitch great, but the 6’8″ 185 pound prospect is hard to overlook.  The Braves drafted him in the 3rd round of the 2014 MLB draft out of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  Hopefully the organization will see signs of greatness in 2016 as hopefully he’ll start in Carolina.

We saw a glimpse of what Cabrera can offer in Tuesday’s first Spring Training game.  He hit 100mph on the radar gun and pitched a solid inning in relief…striking out two batters.  The 6’3″ 230 pound right-handed pitcher is definitely a flamethrower, but still needs time to develop.  According to AJC’s David O’Brien about Cabrera’s arm “still a bit raw, but that arm…electric.”  Huge chance he starts the season with Mississippi, but wanted to write about him because of what we all saw in yesterdays outing.