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Atlanta Braves Mock Draft Monday, Version 3.0

By Benjamin Chase

Jun 15, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Florida Gators pitcher A.J. Puk (10) throws against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first inning at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 15, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Florida Gators pitcher A.J. Puk (10) throws against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first inning at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; National third baseman Bo Bichette (19) bats against the American team during the first inning in the Under Armour All America Baseball game at Wrigley field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; National third baseman Bo Bichette (19) bats against the American team during the first inning in the Under Armour All America Baseball game at Wrigley field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Braves Mock Draft Monday: The Braves’ Picks

3. Kyle Lewis, OF, Mercer

This circumstance (or any other set up that leads to Lewis available at #3) may cause spontaneous slam-dancing in the Braves draft room (I’m assuming here, of course). Everyone I talk to inside and outside of the Braves says that Lewis is their top guy. They’ve sent their top guys in to see him throughout the season, and now that Mercer is into the postseason after winning their regular-season conference title (congrats on that, by the way!), the games are much more spread out and easier to attend for larger groups of the top-level brass.

Lewis is a guy who fits the prototype right fielder mold. He’s big (Baseball Cube has him at 6’4, 195, while the Mercer roster page has him at 210), he’s got power to spare (17 home runs in 207 at bats and a ridiculous .729 slugging percentage), and he’s got a booming arm along with the range to cover plenty of ground in right field. He’s also from Snellville, Georgia, originally, so he’s a local boy.

The big concerns that run with Lewis have to do with his swing, which did have a bit of hitch to it last season, though that has been cleaned up in some video that’s out from this season, and his batting eye as he struggled with a fairly low walk rate before this season when many teams pitched around him. The thing that I heard last week from both a scout and then on the 2080 podcast was that Lewis didn’t just get pitched around this year, he’s started to recognize spin out of hand and spit on it when it’s out of his workable zone. If he can take that step and work it to the pros with his natural skills, he could be an absolute monster, as in a guy who hits 30 home runs and is a high-end defender out in right field.

40. Carter Kieboom, IF, Georgia HS

Kieboom has family roots already in the bigs with a brother in the Washington Nationals system. He has another brother playing baseball at the University of Georgia. Carter’s the best of the brothers. He’s got tremendous bat speed and has flashed power all over the place, winning a home run contest at one of the major high school tourneys this last summer. He’s also shown the foot quickness this season after some hard work on his conditioning to make some evaluators watching him this spring believe he could stay at shortstop.

I personally think he is a future third baseman. His ability to draw a walk and smack the snot out of the ball should lead to a very good power-hitting third sacker for many years, and getting him at this spot would be perfect, especially for a local kid. Also, bonus points for a great name for a power hitter!

Next: Who Is Left?

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