House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves Midseason Top 50 Prospects: Top Ten

By Benjamin Chase

May 25, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; A general view during sunset in the firth inning of the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
May 25, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; A general view during sunset in the firth inning of the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Mar 11, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves Dustin Peeterson (96) slides safely into second base as Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Emmanuel Burriss (15) indicates no throw during the second inning at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves Dustin Peeterson (96) slides safely into second base as Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Emmanuel Burriss (15) indicates no throw during the second inning at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Dustin Peterson, OF, AA Mississippi

More from Tomahawk Take

When the Braves acquired Peterson in the

Justin Upton

deal, they were getting a raw, athletic third baseman who had been selected in the second round by the Padres in 2013 out of high school. While he had flashes at the plate, he’d mostly shown a lot of raw skills without a lot of polish, and his defense at third was worrisome, to say the least.

The Braves moved Peterson to left field to open the 2015 season and sent him to high-A Carolina as a 20 year-old. Peterson responded with one of the most impressive bats in the system to start the 2015 season, hitting .314/.392/.448 with 3 home runs and 2 stolen bases over 120 plate appearances before the bus crash that altered so many players on that Carolina team last season. Few offensive players were hit harder than Peterson, however, as his bat never really recovered. After he missed nearly a month after the accident, Peterson put up a .232/.294/.317 line the rest of the season with roughly half the walk rate he had to start the season and double the strikeout rate. He looked like he was hurting at the plate, but he could play well in the field, so he kept going back out there every day.

That play in the field is one of the most notable things that happened last year for Peterson. He didn’t just handle the move to left field well. He was widely considered the best left fielder in the Braves minor league system by scouts I talked to this winter. I heard many stories of him having a picture-perfect route on a ball and then throwing out a stunned runner who thought Peterson had no chance to get to the ball. He’s only improved upon that this year, even getting time in center field as he’s really taken defensively to the outfield.

This season, Peterson’s bat has really picked up as well, though he may be suited well to find himself out of Mississippi. With one of the most difficult pitchers’ parks in the minor leagues, Mississippi can cause hitters to struggle in their approach, and while many struggle at Mississippi’s park, it seems Peterson has gone the opposite way, grooving his swing for the pitcher-friendly Mississippi park that is hurting him outside of the park. So far this season, he’s had a much better OBP and strikeout rate on the road, but a drastically better slugging percentage and hit 7 of his 8 home runs at home.

Regardless, a system leader in doubles and home runs with very good athleticism on the base paths and exceptional defense is to me being quite underrated in many other circles. Peterson is one of the guys I was getting very excited about already last year, but others weren’t as willing to give the bus crash the credit for his downfall that I was. Now this year, he’s looking like a guy who may see Gwinnett by the end of the season and could make a real push for Atlanta in 2017.

7. Mike Soroka, RHP, Low-A Rome

When the Braves grabbed the 6’4 Canadian with the 28th pick in the 2015 draft, many were left wondering “who?!” Soroka was viewed as a guy who while an early pick, was more like a 3rd round pick who had a strong commitment to Cal. The Braves drafted him, signed him, and have been laughing at their good fortune ever since. Soroka showed in his brief 34 innings between GCL and Danville last year that he has exceptional control, with a 5/37 BB/K ratio over his 34 innings pitched.

The book on Soroka coming into the draft was that his best pitch was a very tight curve that he could pitch to batters of either side and had strong depth to it, finishing low in the zone. He also was well-known for his heavy sinking fastball that worked into the low-90s and a change that he could play well due to his big arm action (coming from high in his delivery to a low finish). This season, that fastball has played up another couple of ticks, sitting more in the low-90s and touching 94-95, and the change has become a pitch he can use on hitters from both sides of the plate rather than just lefties.

The Braves moved the 18 year-old Soroka to full-season Rome this year, and he’s been the team’s most consistent starter all season long, posting a 3.35 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 94 innings, with a 20/81 BB/K ratio and only 2 home runs allowed as he works exceptionally well around the plate, but low in the zone, making it difficult to drive his pitches with the late movement low in the zone.

Soroka may not have the upside of an ace like a guy like Allard, but he’s also not had any of the injury issues that Allard has suffered in his career so far. He’s still 18, so I don’t know that the team will push him to Carolina yet this season, but he’s on a path to be in the majors pretty early in his 20s at this rate, and with mature stuff already, he could be a mid-rotation starter for a long time once he gets to the big leagues.

Next: 6, 5

Home/Braves Minors