Atlanta Braves Top 100 Prospects: Top 20

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Mar 2, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Rio Ruiz (81) pose for photo day at Wide World of Sports. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Braves Top 100: 11-15

15.Mike Soroka, RHP, 18 (8/4/97), Danville

Stats: 0-2, 34 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.5% BB, 25.9% K
Soroka was picked in the compensation round of the first round in the 2015 draft out of high school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has great size at 6’4, and while he’s lean now at right around 200 pounds, He’s got a great frame to add 20-30 pounds of strength. Soroka’s fastball sits in the low-90s, but it has tremendous movement. He has a great changeup that draws as good of reviews as any of his pitches. It acts as a sinking change, adding a ton of effectiveness to the pitch in general. His slider lags behind some, but it shows promise as well with great break when he really snaps it off. Soroka could grow even more, but he’s already intimidating on the mound. Added strength could add a tick or two to his fastball, but hopefully he doesn’t lose the movement in adding velocity.
Professional comparison: Like Soroka, Zack Greinke came into pro ball with his changeup as his lead pitch, and he’s built a tremendous repertoire around it.
Likely 2016 starting destination: Danville
Expected time of arrival: 2018 late season call up

14.Rio Ruiz, 3B, 21 (5/22/94), AA

Stats: .233/.333/.324, 12.9% BB, 19.2% K
Ruiz came into the season with elite prospect pedigree, and the Braves pushed him to AA. He struggled with the move to his first upper-level assignment, and his first pitching-friendly league of his career as well. Ruiz rebounded to finish the year strong however, hitting .302/.353/.481 in August. The story of Ruiz’s season was two elite months of June and August with three putrid months. The Braves will hope to have Ruiz find more consistency in 2016. He has a very even, line drive swing that could generate a ton of doubles from the left side. Ruiz has a solid eye as well and that was the one thing consistent throughout the season. I’ve also seen a lot of mixed reports on his defensive skills in 2015. He has a big frame, and some saw him said that he was quite stiff at the position. Others raved about his movement in and out on balls, stating that he’s not great chasing down balls to his sides, but he comes in very well and has good first steps. He does have a good arm, so he could make a move to the outfield if he has to move off of third.
Professional comparison: Ruiz’s swing makes me think of Matt Carpenter in the way he can drive balls off the wall.
Likely 2016 starting destination: In spite of his struggles in AA, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Ruiz bumped up to AAA Gwinnett to start 2016.
Expected time of arrival: 2016 late season call up

13.Ronald Acuna, CF, 17 (12/18/97), Danville

Stats: .269/.380/.438, 237 PA, 22 XBH, 16 SB, 11.8% BB, 17.7% K
Acuna was signed out of Venezuela, and the Braves brought him immediately to the states rather than putting him in the Dominican Summer League. Acuna did nothing but rake in his time between the GCL and Danville. His overall season numbers reflect his excellent eye and his power/speed combination. He played primarily center field in 2015, and from what limited video I saw, he has the speed to play center, but he also has an arm that’d play in right if he moved. Acuna truly is a big-upside 5-tool sort of player that could really be an elite prospect in a year or two. He’ll also be only 18 in 2016 as he hits his first full season in the US. I am very excited to see how he progresses.
Professional comparison: Comparing Acuna to Adam Eaton may seem pessimistic compared to my other optimistic comparisons, but Acuna has a solid level swing, and while he could try for more power, I could see him ending up more like an Eaton with gap power, speed, and a good eye at the top of the order.
Likely 2016 starting destination: I would be surprised if Acuna isn’t pushed into a full season at Rome, but the Braves may want to have him in extended spring training to work on some things.
Expected time of arrival: 2019

12.Andrew Thurman, RHP, 23 (12/10/91), AA

Stats: 7-8, 89 ⅔ IP, 4.12 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 7.3% BB, 17.1% K
In the midst of the Evan Gattis trade, most saw Rio Ruiz with his prospect pedigree and Mike Foltynewicz and his big fastball. Instead, the guy who had the best season out of the deal was the “third” piece in the deal. Thurman threw very well at Carolina, even after recovering from injuries suffered in the Carolina bus crash. His bump up to AA didn’t go as well as his time in Carolina, but he had put up just short of 90 innings in spite of missing some significant time after the crash, so he very likely had some wear by the time he got to AA. Thurman has a very good pitch mix with a fastball that ticked up to mid-90s after he was drafted by the Astros in 2013. Thurman still struggles with the feel on that added velocity, and he’ll continue to work on that in 2016.
Professional comparison: Like Thurman, Ubaldo Jimenez had a velocity spike in his early 20s that he harnessed into a couple very good seasons for the Rockies and a nice career since. Hopefully, Thurman can keep the feel on his stuff once he gets it, unlike what Jiminez has struggled with in his career.
Likely 2016 starting destination: AA Mississippi Braves
Expected time of arrival: 2016 late season call up

11.Kolby Allard, LHP, 18 (8/13/97), GCL

Stats: 6 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.17 WHIP, 0% BB, 60% K
Many will wonder why Allard isn’t much higher on the list. I’ve seen him as high as #2 in the whole system on some early organization lists, but I’m more than comfortable with my placement here. Allard has tremendous stuff, with a mid-90s fastball with a lot of movement, a curveball that has solid bite, and a changeup that I could see becoming an absolute weapon. Allard came out and blew away hitters in his limited innings as well, which has many very excited about Allard. The thing I worry some with Allard is that he had a back issue pre-draft, specifically a stress reaction. Back issues with a young pitcher always worry me, and especially guys who are still growing as Allard is. He came into the draft listed as 6’1, and I’d wager he’s at least another inch taller, and maybe two inches taller now, and while he still is quite lean, he has added some muscle to his frame. That changing frame worries me if he’s already had some back issues. The Braves will likely be very patient with Allard, moving him quite slow along the system.
Professional comparison: Allard’s stuff drew comparisons to Matt Moore when he was part of Team USA, and as he’s adding some size, there’s a definite comparison there as well. The Braves would be very excited if Allard’s prospect path is similar as well.
Likely 2016 starting destination: He’ll most likely go to extended spring training and then a short-season team, whether that’s the GCL or Danville.
Expected time of arrival: 2019

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