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Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: coming up on deck

By Alan Carpenter

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 25: Starting pitcher Sonny Gray #54 of the Oakland Athletics delivers the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 25, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 25: Starting pitcher Sonny Gray #54 of the Oakland Athletics delivers the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 25, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Mar 12, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Ronald Acuna (89) is congratulated by catcher Kurt Suzuki (24) and teammates after he scored during the first inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Ronald Acuna (89) is congratulated by catcher Kurt Suzuki (24) and teammates after he scored during the first inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

There’s a lot going on in baseball this week, and for the next 5 weeks it will probably be the busiest time of the year for Front Offices around the league.  Especially so at SunTrust Park.

Looks like all Atlanta Braves draftees that are going to be signed have been signed at this point, and June is exiting with some rumblings of things to come:

  • Sunday, July 2nd opens the 2017-18 International Market (“J2”) signing period.  The Braves can’t get anyone over $300,000, but don’t expect for a second that this will keep them completely out of the festivities.  After all, Ronald Acuna was signed for “just” $100,000.
  • We have arrived at prospect re-ranking season.  MLB Pipeline is doing that in stages; TomahawkTake is getting it going as well.
  • The All-Star break is 2 weeks away… be sure to vote for your favorite Braves’ players before voting ends THIS THURSDAY NIGHT.
  • And the non-waiver trade deadline hits at 4pm EDT on Monday, July 31st… less than 5 weeks away.

Prospects

Ben has re-set the Braves Top 50 prospect list for us, and those lists are coming out this week.

MLB Pipeline is doing this as well, but at this point, they have not yet factored in June draftees, which should add perhaps 6-8 names to their Top 100 – pushing others out.

Here is how the Braves currently stack up in their world:

Despite having NINE Braves on this list, I have a number of problems with the rankings:

  • Luis Robert, recently signed out of Cuba to the White Sox, is ranked 24th – ahead of Maitan.  I am okay with Maitan being the 2nd-highest Braves’ prospect, but I don’t believe this is right overall.  Maitan will have time to show where he really should be at in the next year+.
  • Sean Newcomb had fallen quite a bit, but after his first pair of major league starts, he’s looking a lot better than 68th.
  • Accordingly, if Newcomb is the 5th Brave and third pitcher on the chart, then perhaps his success at the major league level should earn a bump up for all of the rest… particular Soroka, who is having an outstanding year at AA.
  • Acuna at #88 looks a bit ridiculously low.  Of course seeing a 19-year-old hitting .324/.378/.482/.860 at the AA level is also ridiculous.  He should easily be in the Top 50.

Where should Kyle Wright slot in here?  I’ll be curious to see Ben’s take later this week, but I would have to think that he will be around 5th on his Braves’ list, and perhaps Top 50 overall.

You might be curious about a couple of other prospects.  Travis Demeritte in particular.  He’s run into a bit of a wall at AA, hitting .231 for the year, albeit with 10 homers.  80 strikeouts in 268 AB’s isn’t helping him, but he does have a .315 OBP thanks to 33 walks.

Max Fried is struggling – lots of hits and walks have lead to a 6.54 ERA in 15 starts so far.

Austin Riley is doing okay for the Fire Frogs, but not spectacularly so:  .257/.318/.423/.741 is his slash line with 11 homers.

Alex Jackson, however, is hitting .285 and OPS’ing .882 with 10 HR.  He looks to be a candidate to move up before the end of the year.  Both Riley and Jackson are in development positions that probably complicate the long-term plans for the Braves as an organization.

More on these guys this week with Ben’s updated reports!

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