Atlanta Braves: Updated Top 10 Pitching Prospects (Post-Draft)
By Seth Carter
The Atlanta Braves already had a deep pool of pitching prospects prior to the draft.
Atlanta Braves Draft: The Braves selected LHP-Jared Shuster out of Wake Forest with the 25th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. In this article, I provide you with my updated top 10 pitching prospects in the Braves’ system to see where Shuster fits in.
If you enjoy studying up on the Braves’ pipeline, please do yourself a favor and read fellow-Tomahawk-Taker Clint Manry’s detailed and spectacular write-up on his Top 30 prospects here.
Note: I’m going to give you a brief breakdown of each player with MLB.com’s scouting grades for each prospect. 20-80 scale with 50 being considered major-league average.
While you are reading, don’t forget this one thing: An average pitch in Major League Baseball is one of the best pitches in the world.
No. 10 Atlanta Braves Pitching Prospect – Victor Vodnik, RHP
Fastball: 55
Slider: 50
Changeup: 40
Control: 45
Overall: 45
Vodnik has a three-pitch repertoire and a deceptive delivery. At just 19-years-old he posted a 2.94 ERA in Rome over 67.1 innings last season. Vodnik struck out 69 batters while walking just 24 and allowing only one homer. He also earned three saves.
His fastball sits in the early 90s but he has the ability to reach back and gas it up to the mid-90s. The Braves mostly utilized Vodnik as a reliever to ease him into the transition from high school to professional baseball. He has an explosive delivery with a quick release.
It’s very promising to see such a young pitcher show good command of the strike zone. His off-speed pitches need some work but the youngster has already turned some heads after being selected in the 14th round of the 2018 draft out of high school. Scouts believe his slider could develop into an above-average offering while he just began working with a changeup last season.