Atlanta Braves: Is 2017 a make-or-break year for trio of young pitchers?

Everybody loves potential. Eventually, though, it has to turn into results. Is this a make or break year for Atlanta’s young pitching?

The Atlanta Braves used a league-high 16 different starting pitchers last season. While a whopping 10 of those have found new homes, not all of the remaining six are guaranteed to be a part of the team’s future.

Of that six, Julio Teheran seems like a good bet to retain his role as staff ace, Josh Collmenter projects to be a solid swingman, and Joel De La Cruz may or may not see some low-leverage innings at some point during the season.

Meanwhile, the other three – Matt Wisler, Mike Foltynewicz, and Aaron Blair – have far less clarity and much more at stake in 2017.

The Trio So Far

The group of young, high-upside arms arrived in Atlanta via three different trades during the team’s recent fire sale:

• Foltynewicz:
  • Atlanta receives: Foltynewicz, Rio Ruiz, and Andrew Thurman
  • Houston receives: Evan Gattis and James Hoyt
• Wisler:
  • Atlanta receives: Wisler, Jordan Paroubeck, Cameron Maybin, Carlos Quentin, and 2015 Competitive Balance Round A Pick
  • San Diego receives: Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton Jr.
• Blair:
  • Atlanta receives: Blair, Dansby Swanson, and Ender Inciarte
  • Arizona receives: Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier

Each of them is also a veteran of top prospect lists, saw extended time in the majors last season, and failed to pitch his way into a guaranteed rotation spot for 2017.

Foltynewicz debuted for the Astros back in 2014, pitching exclusively out of the pen. Though after joining the Braves organization, he has been used primarily as a starter. Over the past two seasons he’s appeared in 40 games (37 starts) and sported strong peripheral stats (8.06 K/9, 2.74 BB/9).

Unfortunately, he’s struggled to keep the ball in the yard (1.50 HR/9) and proven prone to blowouts (he’s allowed five or more earned runs in 11 of his 37 career starts). He will pitch all of next season at age 25.

Wisler debuted in 2015 and has spent more time than the others as a regular member of the rotation. He made 19 starts in his rookie season (109 IP) and bumped that up to 26 in 2016 (156.2 IP). In both seasons he made a single relief appearance.

To date, he sports a career earned run average of 4.88 (ninth worst among active pitchers, min. 250 IP). He will pitch all of next season at age 24.

Blair just made his debut in April of 2016. He spent the first two months of big league career as a regular member of the rotation but got absolutely pounded over 11 starts (0-5, 7.99 ERA, 5.15 K/9, 5.15 BB/9). After a lengthy stint in the minors, he returned to make four more starts down the stretch.

While there was a hint of improvement towards the end of the season, it would have been difficult for him to pitch much worse than his first half. He did end the year with an excellent outing against the Tigers (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K). He will turn 25 in May of 2017.

That’s what they’ve done so far but what does next season hold for these three young hurlers?