Atlanta Braves Minor League Season Review: Gwinnett Braves

The Gwinnett Braves had the worst record of any team that made the postseason, yet they made the championship finals in the International League and even held a 1-0 series lead with a 1-0 lead in game two going into the bottom of the 9th inning of game 2, when the bullpen gave up 2 runs for a walk-off loss, and the team seemingly never recovered, dropping the last two games in listless fashion. The G-Braves finished with a 65-78 record.

Stat Leaders (no AB/IP limits on rate categories)

BA: Tyler Flowers .429, Mallex Smith .400, Adonis Garcia .356, Ender Inciarte, Gordon Beckham, and Stephen Gaylor .333
OBP: Tyler Flowers and Stephen Gaylor .500, Mallex Smith .438, Ender Inciarte .429, Adonis Garcia .413
SLG: Mallex Smith .667, Adonis Garcia .616, Gordon Beckham .500, Matt Tuiasosopo .483, Mel Rojas, Jr. .469
2B: Rio Ruiz 24, Blake Lalli 22, Ronnier Mustelier and Reid Brignac 21, Matt Tuiasosopo 17
3B: Mel Rojas, Jr. 6, Emilio Bonifacio 5, Ronnier Mustelier and Matt Lipka 4, Rio Ruiz and Ozzie Albies 3
HR: Matt Tuiasosopo 11, Mel Rojas and Rio Ruiz 10, Anthony Recker and Reid Brignac 8
R: Emilio Bonifacio 57, Reid Brignac 56, Rio Ruiz 52, Ronnier Mustelier 49, Sean Kazmar 35
RBI: Rio Ruiz 62, Ronnier Mustelier 50, Reid Brignac 42, Emilio Bonifacio 40, Sean Kazmar and Mel Rojas 37
SB: Emilio Bonifacio 37, Ozzie Albies and Mel Rojas 9, Chase d’Arnaud 7, Brandon Snyder, Reid Brignac, and Ronnier Mustelier 6

G: Jose Ramirez 36, Rob Wooten and Brandon Cunniff 35, Matt Marksberry 28, Kanekoa Texeira and Bradley Roney 27
IP: Tyrell Jenkins 83.2, Casey Kelly 74, Rob Wooten 73, Aaron Blair 71.2, Chris Ellis 67.2
W: Tyrell Jenkins 9, Aaron Blair 5, Chris Ellis and Matt Marksberry 4, Eight with 3
SV: Jose Ramirez 6, Chris Withrow 5, Bradley Roney and Maikel Cleto 4, David Peterson 3
K: Aaron Blair 71, Chris Ellis 65, Rob Wooten 60, Lucas Sims 58, John Gant 57
ERA: Sean Burnett, Jhoulys Chacin, Jim Johnson, Emerson Landoni, and Eric O’Flaherty 0.00
WHIP: Eric O’Flaherty 0.00, Julio Teheran 0.60, Sean Burnett 0.75, Williams Perez 0.90, Jhoulys Chacin 0.91
K/BB: Eric O’Flaherty, Jultio Teheran, Jim Johnson, and Brian Moran Infinity (dividing by 0), Shae Simmons 7.00
K/9: Dario Alvarez 15.75, Maikel Cleto 13.29, Bradley Roney 10.92, Chris Withrow 10.80, Shae Simmons 10.50

Ben’s Award Winners

More from Tomahawk Take

Player of the Year

– The Braves got a few excellent all season performances, but the guy who started and finished strong on the season and led the team’s excellent defense was Rio Ruiz, one of the youngest players on the team. Ruiz adjusted his swing in August of 2015, and he’s built on that going forward this season. He needs to work on his approach against lefties still, but the improvement of 2016 over 2015 is quite drastic, and it’s important to remember that Ruiz will open 2017 at only 22 years old with a very good chance to have a major league job.

Pitcher of the Year – Gwinnett had pitchers shipping through toward the big leagues all season, so I went with the one guy who was stable and there all season long. On top of that, Rob Wooten provided the best moment of the season for the Gwinnett pitching staff. On June 30th, Wooten started the game on a spot start against Louisville. After 6 innings, he had not allowed a single walk or hit (though a batter had reached by error, so it was not a perfect game) and struck out 8 hitters. Two relievers threw three perfect innings to finish out the no-hitter. Wooten finished with a 3.58 ERA and 1.18 WHIP on the season, pitching well in every role imaginable, making 6 starts in his 35 appearances and even saving a game. Wooten is a free agent after the season, so it will be interesting to see how the team handles him.

Guys To Watch

Aaron Blair, RHP, 13 G, 71 2/3 IP, 4.65 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 32/71 BB/K – Blair came into the season with high expectations, and he has played his way off of prospect lists by exceeding rookie limits this season, but his struggle to command within the zone doomed him this year as he has solid enough control that he was near the zone frequently and missing his spot within the zone made him quite hittable. A guy who allowed a sub-.230 batting average against in the minor leagues allowed a .278 mark in the minors and .303 in the majors this year. There are better days ahead for Mr. Blair.

Emilio Bonifacio, OF, .298/.356/.369, 5 triples, 37 SB, 39/70 BB/K, 420 AB – The 31 year-old isn’t exactly a prospect, but he was a good influence in the minor leagues this season with those who were on the base paths. He may not be back next year, but this was a positive experience.

Jed Bradley, LHP, 3 G, 18 IP, 1.50 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 11/19 BB/K – Purchased away from the Brewers on June 3rd, the former 2011 1st round pick out of Georgia Tech came to AA Mississippi with an open mind about his role and showed so well that he was quickly put into the rotation. He threw very well in the Braves system in both Mississippi and Gwinnett, totaling 18 appearances, 13 of them starts, with 83 innings, 2.17 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 34/88 BB/K. That earned him a promotion to the big leagues, but oddly, the team has not utilized him in the rotation in his time in Atlanta to this point.

Maikel Cleto, RHP, 20 G, 21 IP, 2.14 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 13/31 BB/K – After the White Sox cut Cleto at the end of spring training, he went to the Mexican League, where the Braves scooped him up on July 2nd. From that point, the 6’3, 250-pound Cleto showed his big stuff well at AAA, even taking over as the closer and saving 4 games. He’ll be a minor league free agent after the season, and it’s unclear whether the Braves will bring him back, but his solid performance should give him another shot somewhere.

Chris Ellis, RHP, 15 G, 67 2/3 IP, 6.52 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 52/65 BB/K – Ellis came out and threw well in Mississippi before his promotion, but he could not carry that success over to AAA. Ellis seemed to struggle with either giving up a ton of hits or walking a bunch of hitters one game to another. However, he ended up throwing two starts in the playoffs with 13 innings, no earned runs, 3 hits allowed, 4 walks, and 13 strikeouts. Overall on the season, he made 28 starts, throwing 146 1/3 innings, with a 4.49 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and an 87/126 BB/K.

John Gant, RHP, 12 G, 56 IP, 4.18 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 22/57 BB/K – We featured an interview with John’s dad (also named John) early in the season discussing the process of getting to the big leagues, and John has a great story of getting to the big leagues for the team he grew up cheering for, but he ended up being jerked back and forth between Atlanta and Gwinnett seemingly on a week-by-week basis this year, which really hurt his ability to settle in anywhere. He’s got a solid pitch mix that could work well in long relief, the back of a rotation, or even in short relief. He has used up his rookie eligibility this season.

Jason Hursh, RHP, 8 G, 16 IP, 1.69 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 8/8 BB/K – Hursh followed up a near-dominant season in Mississippi with excellent run numbers in Gwinnett in spite of a less-than-impressive K/BB ratio. However, he did show that his transition to the bullpen, started last year, has been successful and his impressive ground-ball stuff really played up out of the bullpen, giving Hursh a future role as a double-play specialist out of the bullpen. His overall minor league numbers were 43 G, 73 IP, 1.97 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 31/50 BB/K.

Stephen Janas, RHP, 26 G, 51 2/3 IP, 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 12/31 BB/K – Janas caught a lot of attention after an impressive start with Carolina in 2015 that he couldn’t keep up once promoted to Mississippi in their rotation. He was moved to the bullpen this year, and his excellent command really played up in a long relief role. In total, he had 44 G, 85 IP, 2.75 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 16/56 BB/K ratio.

Tyrell Jenkins, RHP, 17 G, 83 2/3 IP, 2.47 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 35/55 BB/K – Jenkins has flashed excellent moments since his acquisition from the Cardinals, but he’s struggled with his control and command. He could be a guy who does very well out of the bullpen if that is what the team chooses to do with him with a mid-90s heavy fastball and two solid off-speed pitches that could play up in short stints. Jenkins used up his rookie eligibility this season.

Steve Kent, LHP, 1 G, 1 IP, 36 ERA, 6 WHIP, 2/0 BB/K – Kent was signed as an international free agent out of Australia at 16 and spent 6 years chasing his dream, including a season of Tommy John surgery. However, he chose to return to his native Australia after 2011 until the Braves signed the 27 year-old before this season. He was thought to be a LOOGY type, but he actually was able to do much better with both sides of the plate in Mississippi before he promoted to Gwinnett for the playoff run. On the season, he totaled 42 G, 57 1/3 IP, 3.92 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 21/61 BB/K.

Kyle Kubitza, IF/OF, .157/.283/.216, 9/15 BB/K, 51 AB – Kubitza was traded after the 2014 season for teen lefty Ricardo Sanchez, and the results haven’t been good for Kubitza since he left the system. Kubitza still has the ability to take a walk, but he will need to rebuild his value in AAA again if the team chooses to bring him back after removing him from the 40-man early in September.

Matt Lipka, OF, .238/.291/.366, 4 triples, 10/36 BB/K, 164 AB – Lipka was the Braves 1st round compensatory pick in 2010 out of high school. The Georgia native worked his way up to AAA for the first time this season. He’s not likely to be a contributor at the big league level as anything but a pinch runner and defensive replacement, but he has shown value in that role this season. His total line between Mississippi and Gwinnett was .243/.310/.354 with 8 triples and 16 stolen bases and a 30/96 BB/K over 378 AB.

Matt Marksberry, LHP, 28 G, 34 IP, 2.65 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 15/32 BB/K – Marksberry has been solid as a LOOGY in the minors, but he’s not been used in that role in the majors for some reason. In total between Mississippi and Gwinnett, he made 34 appearances, throwing 42 2/3 innings with a 2.32 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, posting a 17/39 BB/K ratio. He’s not eligible as a rookie anymore, but it will be interesting to see if the team protects him this offseason or removes him from the 40-man in lieu of another guy that they need to fit onto the roster.

Ronnier Mustelier, OF, .291/.353/.394, 21 doubles, 39/49 BB/K, 426 AB – Mustelier was a Yankee farmhand signed out of Cuba, much like Adonis Garcia. The Braves brought him in after he was released from his Mexican League club, and he did very well for Gwinnett. He’s not going to offer a lot of power, but he’s got the ability to play 2B, 3B, and corner outfield.

Carlos Portuondo, RHP, 5 G, 10 IP, 2.70 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 4/4 BB/K – The Braves signed Portuondo out of Cuba before this season. He put up solid numbers as a swing man once he got to the team in July. Portuondo pitched with Carolina and Gwinnett in 2016, putting up a total line of 17 G, 34 2/3 IP, 3.63 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 17/25 BB/K.

Mel Rojas, Jr., OF, .270/.349/.491, 5 triples, 10 HR, 9 SB, 29/49 BB/K, 230 AB – The Braves acquired Rojas for cash, and after the results they got from him, it is looking like a steal! Rojas hit well with Mississippi, but once he got to Gwinnett, he blew up offensively, showing off his power/speed tools. With his major league lineage and high-end tools, Rojas is a good risk to take for 2017 as a minor league free agent, even though he will turn 27 in 2017.

Bradley Roney, RHP, 27 G, 45 1/3 IP, 4 SV, 3.57 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 39/55 BB/K – Roney doesn’t blow anyone away with high-90s heat, but the way his pitches move racks up tons of strikeouts. He struggles with commanding that movement, however, which leads to high walk totals. The Braves tried Roney in longer roles in Gwinnet this year, which actually turned out quite good. He had a total between AA and AAA of 44 G, 67 2/3 IP, 3.33 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 55/88 BB/K.

Rio Ruiz, 3B, .271/.355/.400, 24 doubles, 10 HR, 61/116 BB/K, 465 AB – See Player of the Year Write-Up.

Rob Whalen, RHP, 3 G, 18 2/3 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 7/18 BB/K – Whalen was incredible in his time at AA and then simply pitched even better in Gwinnett before being called up to the big leagues. Whalen may not have a 99 MPH fastball, but he does have solid stuff and extremely high-end mental make up, knowing how to work over hitters very well. His starts in the major leagues weren’t tremendous, but he was also well beyond the most innings he’s ever pitched in his pro career in a season, so he was working on fumes. I’m very excited to see what Whalen brings to the table in 2017, whether it’s at the big league level or back in AAA to start the season.

Rob Wooten, RHP, 35 G, 73 IP, 3.58 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 11/60 BB/K – See Pitcher of the Year Write-Up.

Next: Braves Minor League Database

Madison Younginer, RHP, 11 G, 13 2/3 IP, 7.24 ERA, 2.12 WHIP, 11/13 BB/K – Younginer struggled at AAA, so he was sent down to Mississippi, where he trived, taking over as the closer. He was called up to the big leagues and after 7 innings in the majors, he was sent down to AAA, and he continued struggling at that level. Younginer has decent stuff, but he relies on his command, and in both times through Gwinnett, he’s struggled mightily with that command. Overall in the minors in 2016, he threw 46 G, 56 IP, 15 SV, 4.02 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 23/60 BB/K.

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