Atlanta Braves Mock Draft Monday, Version 1.0
Atlanta Braves Mock Draft Monday: The Braves’ Picks
5. Sam Carlson, RHP, Minnesota HS
Many will see this as a reach. Carlson is ranked #15 by MLB Pipeline and somehow wasn’t even placed on the BA top 100, though they’ve referenced that as a mistake since in podcasts.
Carlson is a cold-weather guy who is a Florida recruit. He’s just started his spring season recently, and the Atlanta Braves have had a presence early at his games.
Carlson is a guy who has an excellent frame around 6’3″-6’4″ and roughly 200 pounds. He’s actually recruited to be a two-way player at Florida as an outfielder and pitcher.
His first few games, Carlson has flashed mid-90s stuff and touched 97 on most guns (I heard one 98 mentioned). His fastball moves a lot with hard sink and the ability to manipulate the ball to sink both arm side and glove side.
His change is already above-average to plus, and he is very comfortable with the pitch, using it as much as 1/3 of the time in games. His slider has wicked late bite as well.
Carlson is a guy who works constantly in the strike zone as well. There are many talking about him in the top 10, but the Braves are talking with him heavy already.
Round 2, Pick 41 overall: Heliot Ramos, OF, Puerto Rico HS
Last spring, near the end of May, I was told by a scout that I could “write in pen” that Ian Anderson would be a Brave. He didn’t tell me which pick or anything, but he had seen enough of how the Braves were treating him versus other prospects they were seeing when he was at the same game to believe that the Braves had major interest.
That same scout has already flagged me that the Braves are giving Heliot Ramos the “Ian Anderson treatment” in his words.
Ramos is a guy who could gain some significant helium before the draft, but if he’s there, he is a guy that just seems to check every box. The MLB Pipeline podcast recently stated that he has the most raw power of any player in the draft, he’s very young (not turning 18 until September 7th), and he’s technically international, as he’s from Puerto Rico.
Ramos has more than just power as well, though his swing is long right now and would need some work to be able to be able to produce solid contact, but he also has fringe-plus speed along with an above-average arm and good reads in the corner outfield after spending most of his high school time in center field, where he’s not exactly the best fit.
Rest of Draft
One of the blessings and curses all rolled into one when you have a well-run organization is that young men that you draft actually want to play for you.
The Braves ran into this issue last summer, when way more than the expected number of 11th-40th round selections came to the table ready to sign a contract.
Add to that the much larger-than-usual international free agent class that the team signed in the last year, and you have a Gulf Coast League and a Danville team in the Appalachian League that will be nearly full already before the draft even happens – and this is AFTER they made some pretty surprising cuts at the end of spring training!
What I’m getting in talking with the Braves people is that they very well may blow their 1-10 round money early in this draft. If they had a chance to find a guy that they knew would be out for some time to give them that time, that wouldn’t hinder them and could lead to a bargain selection.
A player like Clarke Schmidt falling into their laps in the 3rd round would be an almost certainty. High school righty Hunter Ruth is another guy they could pursue in the 3rd/4th as a guy who will be having Tommy John, pay him a good-sized bonus, and then let him heal well while the rookie-ball rosters are already plumb full.
If I were to wager a guess, it’d be that the first three picks will contain at least 2 high school players, and my best bet, based on who the Braves have been heaviest on so far, is that it would be two pitchers and a hitter.
Next: Braves Minor League Database
What would be your thoughts on this situation? Leave a comment below!!