Atlanta Braves Top Pitching Prospect, Lucas Sims Promoted to Mississippi Braves

Atlanta Braves pitching prospect, Lucas Sims, will now be pitching for the Braves Double-A affiliate the Mississippi Braves and will make his first start on Tuesday against the Jackson Generals (Seattle Mariners Double-A affiliate).

The 21-year-old was drafted by the Braves with the 21st pick in the 2012 MLB Amateur Draft.  He was drafted out of Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia.

Sims has been a top prospect for the Braves for many years now, but hasn’t really pitched up to par yet as a professional.  In 2013 with the Rome Braves, Sims went 12-4 with a 2.62 ERA in starting 28 games as a 19-year-old.

He was promoted in 2014 to Lynchburg Single-A+ in 2014 and struggled.  He pitched in 28 games and posted a 8-11 record with a 4.20 ERA and gave up 12 homers, 57 walks, 17 hit batters and a 1.299 WHIP.

This move was kind of surprising because he hasn’t pitched well for the Single-A+ Carolina Mudcats in 2015.  He’s 3-4 with a 5.18 ERA in nine games this season.  In 40 innings he’s given up 39 hits, 27 runs, 23 walks and has a 1.550 WHIP.

Ben walked us through his last start with the Mudcats on Thursday in his minor league report.  He pitched six innings, allowing one run on five hits and eight strikeouts.

Sims has a power arm with a mid 90’s fastball.  He’s a good athlete with a clean delivery and should have a very high ceiling within the Braves organization.

If you remember earlier this year in May, the Carolina Mudcats bus was n route to Myrtle Beach when their bus crashed and flipped near the South Carolina border. Eight of the 33 people aboard the Braves’ affiliates bus were taken to the hospital with injuries.  Sims was one of these players with a bad hip contusion.