Atlanta Braves Top 100 Prospects: 61-80

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October 9, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher

Jacob deGrom

(48) pitches the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game one of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Braves Top 100: 71-75

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75.Stephen Gaylor, 24 (10/4/91), CF, Rome
Stats: .286/.379/.353, 17 SB, 9.7% BB, 11.1% K
Gaylor was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014, and he did well in his first full season with the Braves in 2015. Gaylor hit very well for Rome, and the Rome, GA native enjoyed playing in front of his hometown fans. Gaylor has solid speed, though he had a poor success rate on the base paths. He didn’t put any balls over the fence, but he did show solid gap power in his bat that could translate up the ladder, especially if he can maintain his low strikeout rate and solid eye. Gaylor has solid defensive skills in center, but he could be elite in a corner spot defensively.
Professional comparison: Like Gerardo Parra, Gaylor brings high-end defense at any outfield spot, and if he can hit like he did in 2015 as he continues up the ladder, he’ll have a role as a high-end 4th outfielder/low-end starting outfielder for a major league team.
Likely 2016 starting destination: Carolina
Expected time of arrival: 2018

74.Jaret Hellinger, 18 (11/18/96), LHP, GCL
Stats: 34 ⅓ IP, 3.15 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 9.5% BB, 22.3% K
Hellinger was selected by the Braves in the 20th round in June’s draft, and he got a lot of rave reviews for his increasing feel for pitching and his athleticism coming up to the draft. A number of evaluators felt the Braves were lucky to get Hellinger where they did. Hellinger doesn’t run his pitches up to the upper 90s, but there is still projection left in his frame as he’s still filling out a 6’3 frame and throws currently in the low 90s with a plus curve and change up right now. He showed a little tendency to push his pitches to the plate in the minors, though he did stay around the plate well. I’ll be interested to see how quickly the Braves move him forward – whether they’ll keep him at Danville for the entire 2016 season or allow him to move forward to Rome if he pitches well enough to earn it.
Professional comparison: While he doesn’t have Gio Gonzalez’s top-end velocity, he does have Gio’s curveball by all reports (and the limited “promo” video I’ve seen of him). Coming from the left side, if he adds even a tick or two of velocity as he fills out, which would bring him to Gio’s velocity level, this could be an interesting comparison.
Likely 2016 starting destination: Danville
Expected time of arrival: 2019

73.Wes Parsons, 23 (9/6/92) , RHP, Carolina
Stats: 19 ⅔ IP, 2.75 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 1.3% BB, 21.3% K
After signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2013, the Braves had to watch as Parsons lost a year of development to injury in 2015. Parsons still showed all the same stuff that has had scouts dumbfounded how he slipped through the cracks before the Braves signing. Not a lot has changed with Parsons from last season, but the injury stuff with Parsons’ long and very lean frame does raise some definite concern.
Professional comparison: Before Jacob deGrom exploded on the scene, he was a lot like Parsons, under the radar with good stuff and a very lean, long frame. They also have similar stuff, but Parsons has a lot to master to get into the same stratosphere as deGrom on the field.
Likely 2016 starting destination: Carolina
Expected time of arrival: 2018

72.Jake Lanning, 22 (2/4/93), 3B/2B, Danville
Stats: .273/.345/.341, 8.8% BB, 25.7% K
Lanning was a 24th round selection in June out of Holy Cross, and he hit very well with Danville, albeit without hitting a ball out of the stadium. Lanning has a solid line drive swing, and he showed a decent eye, though he did struggle with high velocity and laying off of it. Lanning showed his defensive versatility by spending nearly even time at third and second in 2015, and with Austin Riley at third in Rome most likely to start 2016, Lanning’s best spot to get at bats will possibly be 2B, though he’s definitely got the arm to play third base. Lanning does offer a switch-hitting bat to the lineup with gap power, which could allow him the versatility to move up toward the major leagues.
Professional comparison: If you get a chance to see the two side by side, Lanning and David Freese could be body doubles. Now, they look nothing alike facially, but they do have very similar builds, and Freese’s Angels numbers are a likely expectation for Lanning.
Likely 2016 starting destination: Rome
Expected time of arrival: 2019

71.Caleb Beech, 22 (4/18/93), RHP, Rome
Stats: 5-2, 62 ⅔ IP, 2.87 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 6.6% BB, 16.6% K
Beech was selected in the 13th round in 2014, and the Braves chose to jump him over Danville in 2015, moving him directly to Rome. Their decision paid off in droves as Beech was arguably the best pitcher on the Rome staff before injury ended his season at the end of June. Drafted as a reliever, Beech has worked as a starter with the Braves, and he’s shown well with a very solid sinker and slider combination that could have him projecting well past initial thoughts of him as a bullpen only guy. Beech has a chance to be an inning-eater type at the back of a rotation if he continues in the progression he was headed toward before his injury just after the class-A all-star game.
Professional comparison: Physically, and stuff-wise, Beech reminds me a lot of Mike Leake when he heads out there. He’s not the hitter Leake is at the plate, but Beech gets on top of his sinker when he’s on his best and makes it tough to elevate anything he throws.
Likely 2016 starting destination: Carolina
Expected time of arrival: 2018

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