Atlanta Braves Morning Chop/Box… Road Woe-iors
Baseball America Prospect Chat
The following notes are from Ben Badler’s weekly BA.com prospect chat session, held yesterday.
dave (grayson, ga): Any reports on the Braves' GCL outfielder Isranel Wilson, from the USVI [US Virgin Islands]? Hitting under .200 in his 111 AB but has walked 20 times and hit 7 homers. Surprising that they skipped him over the DSL for his age 17 season?
Ben Badler: Very good tools and athleticism, a little on the raw side, but the power is even better than expected. Most teams would probably have him in the DSL, but we wrote coming into the year he would likely start in the GCL, so that’s not too surprising. Every player goes on a case by case basis, but the Braves’ new international group is going to skip players over the DSL and bring them to the GCL quicker than most organizations, with the belief that exposure to better pitching here and getting acclimated to the country at a younger age will help their development, even if the numbers on paper aren’t anything special.
Braves's fan (Taiwan): Lucas Sims finds his strike out back this year, but walks rate also increases dramatically. He pitch well against righthand batters, but be crushed by lefthander. Where is his future? NO. 3 starter or reliever?
Ben Badler: Maybe a reliever, but a good chance he’s less than that. Two years of being pretty underwhelming.
Two Braves’ prospects have been hammering their way through the rookie leagues this Summer: Wilson – as noted above – and Austin Riley. Riley had 7 HR in the GCL before being bumped to Danville. He has 2 more there and is at an .844 OPS in 17 games with a .384 OBP.
Justin Ellison, CF at Danville, is OPSing 901 in 12 games with a pair of homers.
Also of note: Hector Olivera finally got his first hit in a Braves’ uniform – a single for Rome in the second game of their doubleheader. That makes him 1 for 17 with 2 walks and 1 K.