Atlanta Braves Week 22 Farm Report: The final week

The 22nd and final weekly Farm Report of our 2019 series highlighting each Minor League team for the Atlanta Braves.

All good things must come to an end, but at least there’s one Atlanta Braves minor league team that made their respective league’s postseason, the Gwinnett Stripers.

(80-59) Gwinnett Stripers

It’s been a historic 2019 season for the Stripers (which I’ll divulge in the team’s end-of-season recap, coming soon).

With a couple of 4-game splits against Norfolk and Durham, Gwinnett finished 4-4 in Week 22 as their season ended on Labor Day.

The Stripers end their regular season winners of the IL South, and will take on the Columbus Redbirds in the semifinals on Wednesday, September 4 at 7:05 p.m. CNT, in the International League Playoffs.

The two teams will play a best-of-5 and the winner will play for the Governor’s Cup before heading to the Triple-A National Championship.

RHP, Bryse Wilson

WK 22: 7 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, BB, 9 K

What he did: Wilson threw 98 pitches in Gwinnett’s 8-2 win over Norfolk on Tuesday night, improving his 2019 record to 10-7. He did allow a homer, but for the most part, Wilson kept the ball on the ground (7 groundouts / 3 flyouts).

The 6’1″ righty finishes the season with a solid 3.42 ERA in 21 starts.

RHP, Kyle Wright

WK 22: 1 start, 1-0, 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K

What he did: Wright put a cap on his Gwinnett season with a promising finish, tossing a 109-pitch outing in the Stripers’ 3-2 win on Saturday night. The Alabama native pitched to mostly-weak contact and generated 5 outs on the ground.

It wasn’t always pretty for Wright in 2019, but he should leave Triple-A and head to the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen with a somewhat eased mind. He at least finished strong.

He ends the 2019 season with an 11-4 record and pitched great in his last two outings (12 IP, 2 ER, 13 K). Overall, Wright holds a 4.17 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 112.1 innings-pitched for Gwinnett.

LHP, Philip Pfeifer

WK 22: 1 app., 1-0, 5.2 IP, 4 H, BB, 9 K

What he did: Before he started play in Week 22, Pfeifer was recognized for his performance from Week 21:

https://twitter.com/mbraves/status/1166033061433106432?s=19

Pfeifer didn’t get a start last week, but he made two excellent relief appearances (Wednesday & Sunday). He threw 43 pitches on Wednesday, earning the win and striking out four in 3.1 innings; then on Sunday, the lefty tossed another 42 pitches and punched out five in 2.1 innings of work, allowing just 2 hits.

The former Vanderbilt star has been one of the best stories in the Atlanta Braves’ organization in 2019, pitching himself from Florida up to Gwinnett and mowing down batters in the process.

Overall, Pfeifer finished the 2019 season with a 2.97 ERA and accrued 133.1 innings between Florida, Mississippi, and Gwinnett (92 IP, 34 IP and 7.1, respectively), while he also struck out 159 batters, compared to just 42 walks (10.75 K/9, 2.83 BB/9). Expect big things from this guy in 2020.

OF, Drew Waters

WK 22: 7 G, .187 BA, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 SB

What he did: Well, I guess I should start with the fact that Waters became the first Mississippi Braves’ player, and the youngest player in 14 years, to win a Southern League MVP award.

https://twitter.com/mbraves/status/1166748322130010112?s=19

We’re not going to knock Waters for his .187 average last week. I think he’s earned his name on the list.

It wasn’t his best week in Week 22, but Waters managed a solid game on Monday, going 2-for-6 with a double, followed by a 1-for-5 finish on Saturday when he belted his second home run of the season for Gwinnett.

Unless you’ve been asleep this season, you’re already plenty aware of how great Waters has been in 2019.

But let’s add it all up: In 133 total games between Mississippi and Gwinnett, the 20-year-old hit .312 (.825 OPS) with 40 doubles and 7 home runs, while also running out 9 triples and 16 stolen bases. He even amassed 52 RBI as mainly a leadoff hitter, getting on base at a .362 clip.

I feel extremely confident that we’ll see Waters in Atlanta at some point in 2020, even if he’s a September call-up. He’s giving the Braves no choice.

OF/DH, Adam Duvall

WK 22: 7 G, .363 BA, 3 HR, 3B, 2B, 9 RBI

What he did: What a year it’s been for Duvall. In his last week he finished strong, hitting a homer on Friday (3 RBI) and Saturday, while hitting one earlier in the week, on Tuesday. The 3-homer week gives him 32 on the year, 38 if you count the six he’s hit with the Atlanta Braves so far.

Here’s that bomb he hit on Friday:

The 2019 season could not have gone any better for Duvall. After a forgettable 2018 with the Atlanta Braves, he bounced back and hit .266 in Gwinnett (101 games), while also swinging a respectable .241 bat in 26 games at the big league level.

OF, Cristian Pache

WK 22: 7 G, .346 BA, HR, 4 2B, 2 RBI

What he did: The Atlanta Braves top prospect had one of his best Triple-A games on the final day of the 2019 season, going 3-for-3 with a double and a run-scored.

Pache also hit his first Triple-A home run on Friday, as he had his best week yet in Gwinnett:

Like Waters, it has been an amazing year. In 130 total games this season (Mississippi and Gwinnett), Pache slashed .277/.340/.462 with 12 home runs, 9 triples, and 36 doubles, plus he stole 8 bags. This, folks, is your future Atlanta Braves outfielder, and he may be there sooner then we ever imagined.

INF, Sean Kazmar Jr.

WK 22: 7 G, .333 BA, 4 2B, 6 RBI

What he did: The never-aging infielder had a heckuva week last week, including an outstanding last day of the season, when he went 3-for-5 with a double and 4 RBI on Labor Day. Kazmar also went 5-for-5 on Thursday, slapping 2 doubles.

At 35-years-old, Kazmar is probably as high as he’s going to go, but that doesn’t mean his 2019 performance should go unnoticed. The Georgia native hit .270 in 108 games with Gwinnett, while also slugging 12 homers and 21 doubles.