Atlanta Braves decided to make minor moves on Thursday
By Jeff Schafer
It’s moving season and the Braves are participating
What a wonderful time of the year…no other sports are on, just baseball and we’ve got the trade deadline quickly approaching. July 31st (and probably a few days before) will be all madness. What’s in store for the Atlanta Braves? Well, great question.
While we sit here and twiddle our thumbs anticipating a trade going down, other moves within the organization are going down right in front of our eyes.
On Thursday, the Braves shuffled some players around their minor league system including two pretty big prospects being promoted. LHP Luiz Gohara to the Gwinnett Braves and RHP Touki Toussaint to the Mississippi Braves.
Gohara, who was acquired from the Mariners on January 11, 2017 for Mallex Smith, has been on a tear this year. The left-handed pitcher will turn 21-years-old on July 31st and will be given a huge opportunity at the Braves highest minor league affiliate. He’s ranked as the Braves #7 prospect according to the FOX Sports South newest midseason list.
This season with the Braves, he’s already jumped from High Single-A Florida Fire Frogs to the Double-A Mississippi Braves to now the Gwinnett Braves. He’s started 18 games in 2017 between the two minor league teams and is 5-2 with a 2.34 ERA. He’s struck out 99 batters compared to just 28 walks.
After the Braves traded Jaime Garcia to the Twins — and Aaron Blair continued to show he just doesn’t have it right now — the Atlanta Braves seem to have a vacancy in their starting rotation. It’s very possible the Braves call up prospect Lucas Sims, but could also give Kris Medlen an opportunity…personally, I think they’ve got to go with Sims.
Whoever gets that next start, Gwinnett will need a pitcher to fill that gap. Enter Gohara.
The Gwinnett Braves rotation now looks like this…
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Medlen/Sims
Andrew Albers
Matt Wisler
Aaron Blair
Gohara
Touki Gets A promotion!
The Braves also will be moving prospect Touki Toussaint up to the Mississippi Braves! According to the FOX Sports South’s newest prospect list, Touki is ranked #13 best Braves prospect.
The 21-year-old has started 19 games in 2017 with the Florida Fire Frogs going 3-9 with a 5.04 ERA. He’s struck out 123 hitters in 105.1 innings pitched with giving up 42 walks. That’s a massive amount of innings in Double-A.
Which brings me to this…there’s a chance the Braves are moving Touki to a closer role. He tweeted this out today…
9th inning.. it's time to get it..
— Touki Toussaint (@ToukiToussaint) July 27, 2017
The MBraves have used a combination of closers this season — Jason Hursh, Akeel Morris, Michael Mader, Philip Pfeiffer, Danny Reynolds, Wes Parson, Jesse Biddle to name a few. Nothing consistent.
This could give Mississippi that pitcher and it will give Touki a little rest with his arm. No need for him to throw close to 200 innings this year.
Anyway, it’s a good move by the Braves and one that could propel Touki to the majors a lot quicker if he sticks with the bullpen job.
Next: How Should Braves handle third Base job for 2018?
Other Organizational Moves by the Braves…
Atlanta Braves recalled RHP Jason Hursh from Gwinnett Braves
Atlanta Braves optioned SS Dansby Swanson to Gwinnett Braves
Atlanta Braves optioned RHP Aaron Blair to Gwinnett Braves
RHP Raymar Navarro assigned to Florida Fire Frogs from Danville Braves
RHP Huascar Ynoa assigned to Danville Braves (the pitcher the Braves just got for Jaime Garica)
RHP Raymar Navarro assigned to Florida Fire Frogs from Danville Braves