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Three Atlanta Braves prospect trades you’ll hate to love

By Tyler Wilson

Jun 1, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Christian Yelich (21) bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 1, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Christian Yelich (21) bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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If you’re a Braves fan, you, like many others, have probably grown attached to several guys from the club’s seemingly endless list of high-value prospects. There’s no doubt that we need prospects for a rebuild to be a rebuild, but we have  a TON of guys, and that means a few may be expendable over the next year or two.

The idea of trading away prospects may not sit well with some, but I think it would be nice (and wise) for John Coppolella to get the Atlanta Braves a couple of established, yet young, MLB guys in return for a prospect package.

Now, of course there are a few prospects that are untouchable when it comes to trades, but we have enough prospects to be in quite a crowded situation in a couple of years, so why not send a couple away for a guy that’s certain to be worth the deal?

Here are three possible scenarios I think could work for the Braves:

1. Patrick Weigel & Alex Jackson for Christian Yelich

I don’t see Alex Jackson filling any void that Matt Kemp or Nick Markakis eventually leaves in Atlanta. I’m banking on Lucas Herbert being the catcher of the Braves’ future, and until he’s ready, Tyler Flowers will do a fine job behind the plate.

In that scenario, Jackson just doesn’t have a future with the Braves. He along with big righty Patrick Weigel could warrant a nice return.

Christian Yelich, on the other hand, is a guy that I really like, and would love to see come to Atlanta. He’s only 25 years old with 3 full MLB seasons under his belt, and hasn’t disappointed the Miami Marlins.

Yelich belted more home runs (21) last season than he did in his first three seasons combined (20), and did so without seeing his strikeout rate go up. An outfield consisting of Yelich, Inciarte, and Atlanta Braves prospect Ronald Acuña is one that any Braves fan would love to watch for years.

An intra-divisional trade is not usual, but – well, the Marlins aren’t a usual organization, either.

2. Lucas Sims & Travis Demeritte for Marcus Stroman

One thing that really stands out about Marcus Stroman is his high ground ball rate. The Braves need guys who pitch more like Stroman for the extremely hitter-friendly SunTrust Park. Stroman is just 26, and has shown signs of being a frontline starter since his rookie season in 2013.

Lucas Sims has included just 61 ground balls to his 134 fly balls in AAA this season. This is a legitimate concern when he gets to Atlanta, as these fly ball outs could easily turn into home runs.

While fans drooled over Travis Demeritte upon his arrival to the Braves’ organization last season, I don’t think he’s a future big league star, and certainly doesn’t have a starting job in Atlanta among the likes of Rio Ruiz, Ozzie Albies, and others to come.

3. Max Fried, Austin Riley & Dustin Peterson for Gerrit Cole

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This one may be a bit more far-fetched, and is more wishful thinking than anything, but it’s not totally impossible with the way John Coppolella has been known to work out deals.

Gerrit Cole is easily one of the most underrated starters in baseball, especially since he’s struggled a bit to start the 2017 season, while teammate Ivan Nova has been the talk of Pittsburgh as of late. Cole is ace material, and will thrive in the league well into his thirties.

Max Fried is struggling a bit due to command issues, but has still shown signs of effectiveness with 5 quality starts this season for AA Mississippi. Austin Riley has power, while Dustin Peterson is an on-base machine that will drive in runs consistently.

Surely the Pirates would see some value here.

So, what’s going to happen?

All three of these trades should be appealing to the eyes of Atlanta Braves fans, but it’s hard to predict Coppolella’s next move.

The most possible of the three deals the acquisition of Marcus Stroman. The ability to induce ground balls may be the most important trait when you play half of your games in a hitter’s park,

Next: What's going to happen to Brian Snitker?

As the Atlanta Braves’ rebuild unfolds over the next couple of seasons, I would encourage fans not to become too attached to prospects in the organization. Guys like Kevin Maitan and Ronald Acuña are practically untouchable, but Coppy has shown before that he’s not afraid to make a bold move to put the club in a position to win games.

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