My 5 Favorite Atlanta Braves Prospects
By Ryan Cothran
My Favorite Atlanta Braves Prospects…in no particular order
Ozzie Albies
At 5’8, 160 pounds, Ozzie has similar height and weight to Matt Young, but that’s about it when it comes to projections. Ozzie is an all muscle, serious athlete. Just recently turned 20, he NEVER faces pitchers younger than him, and is just now getting into his power stroke. He profiles as a switch-hitter who has gap power that could develop into double digit home runs, steal 20-30 bases per year with a high OBP to boot. Like Dansby Swanson, Albies is the kind of player that leads on the field and those 2 up the middle for most of the next decade sounds sweet!
Also, he’s the only player that I’ve met in the bathroom…let me explain! While I was washing my hands at the Ramada near Turner Field, he walks in. I see the Braves hat and jersey, knew that prospects were getting awarded their organizational prizes, and asked if he was Ozhaino Albies! He said yes. I wished him luck and he went to pee and I walked out!
I’m a Lord of the Rings fan! Nerd, actually. In the 2nd installment, The Two Towers, Gandalf comes back to life and reveals that he is Saruman, as he should have been. This is how I view 21 year old Weigel compared to 21 year old Mike Foltynewicz. Not many could’ve predicted Weigel to blow the talent away like he did in ’16. Most scouting reports on him prior to draft weren’t pretty and essentially broke down to, “Well, he throws hard and …I got nothing”. His 3/4 delivery came together, found control, maintained the Ks, and danced all around the strike zone. Obviously the fastball is the calling card but it was his breaking stuff coming together that made the difference in 2016. Here’s a great video called by the best in the business, Mississippi’s Kyle Tait, that shows the natural movement that’s likely been there due to that 3/4 delivery yet was missing the plate. As warned before, it’s necessary for Weigel to duplicate his performance but if he does, we could have an ace on our hands out of nowhere!
Here’s our own, award-winning Benjamin Chase’s scouting report on Weigel.
Drafted 7th overall in the 2012 draft, Fried had hype out the gate that deteriorated after undergoing Tommy John surgery…so naturally the Braves acquired him when his stock was down. Fried, like many TJers, pitched through some ups and downs in the first half in his first action off of TJ, but the 2nd half of the year he showed brilliance and playoffs? PLAYOFFS? Pure dominance as he was the anchor in the Rome Braves championship rotation. Fried’s curve ball is his pitch of note but he sits low-90s with his fastball and can run it up to mid-90s if he needs to do so. He’s lanky and lean which brings comps to Cole Hamels and I think we would all be ok with that. He’s likely going to move fast and I wouldn’t doubt if his cup of coffee comes in ’17 and he’s solidified in the rotation by ’18.
Here a video courtesy of Adam Hayes. Fast-forward to 1:50 to see the curve ball that separates him from the others.
I’m an absolute sucker for left-handed power arms out of the bullpen (thanks Jonny Venters), and the Braves have likely struck gold with Minter. Like so many others, the Braves got a bargain with Minters due to the risk of drafting a guy who’d undergone Tommy John surgery. Minter has a 95-97 MPH fastball out of the bullpen that has movement. His 2nd pitch is a slider that runs in on lefties and away on righties. As of now, he’s a 2-pitch reliever and that’s really all he needs. He’ll move quickly with the Braves and I wouldn’t be surprised if he breaks camp with the team in 2017. At worst, he’d be there in September. A miniscule WHIP, a giant K/9, and and he’s left-handed? This is rare and worthy of excitement!
*Something of note that Ben pointed out in his latest piece on Minter is that he prefers (or preferred) to start and asked to be given that opportunity. This is something to keep an eye on in 2017, but if 2017 free agent salaries are a sign to come, maybe A.J. will choose to limit his innings and stay in the ‘pen. I would if I were him.*
Here’s our own, award-winning Benjamin Chase’s scouting report on A.J. Minter
Another pitcher in the Braves organization that receives regular comps to Cole Hamels, Wentz is the prototypical pitcher that I’m drawn to: Left-handed, huge, polished beyond years, crazy good athlete with a big fastball and can smack a dinger or 2! He was likely demanding a large chunk of change and that’s why Wentz dropped to the Braves at the 40th pick. The Braves can thank Ian Anderson for that as he signed well-below slot to allow them to get not only one stud but three in him, Kyle Muller, and Wentz. What I love about these 3 is that they’ll likely grow together, push each other, and move up the ladder together should they stay injury free! While drafted later, I like Wentz’s chances better of becoming the ace out of these 3.
That’s a wrap, folks! Who’re your faves in the organization? What makes you flock to them? Let’s hear about them in the comments!
Hope you enjoyed reading! Let’s say it together: 1, 2, 3…