The Atlanta Braves have an impressive farm system still, even after a few graduations. Who are the top 50 prospects in the system as we hit midseason?
Welcoming Benjamin Chase back to Tomahawk Take means that you will get plenty of minor league coverage of your Atlanta Braves on site. We are going to open with a midseason top 50 list, but this will be a different method than you’re likely used to on other places that put together a mid-season list.
Rather than present a list number by number with quick profiles of each number, we will be presenting the profiles of all those players who are seriously considered for the top 50, right now over 100 players in total, and then on Friday, we will cover the list itself. Here’s what the preliminary schedule will look like:
Monday – AAA and MLB prospects
Tuesday – AA prospects
Thursday AM (due to connection issues!) – low-A and high-A prospects
Thursday PM – Rookie ball prospects (Danville, GCL, and DSL)
Friday – Top 50 list
We will start with a couple guys who are making the transition to the mound from the outfield this year:
Yoeli Lopez, RHP
Lopez put on a show in the outfield in the DSL in 2016 and then brought that show stateside last year to get more attention from his big arm in the outfield. While he has plenty of athleticism that could someday translate into something on the field, there is plenty of work needed at the plate. He was transitioned to the mound this season, and though the ERA isn’t pretty, in large part due to control issues, 13 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings show exactly why the Braves made the change for Lopez.
Gabriel Rodriguez, LHP
Many in the Twins organization were disappointed when they drafted Rodriguez as an outfielder out of high school in Puerto Rico last year and could not sign him. He instead went to JuCo, and the Braves picked him in the 31st round. The Atlanta Braves were one of two teams that reportedly saw a full bullpen from Rodriguez, as he pitched less than a handful of innings for Miami Dade this year. They saw enough to go overslot to bring him in, and he’s shown very well, albeit with understandable control issues. He’s pitched to a 1.17 ERA, but with a 16/15 BB/K ratio over 7 2/3 innings. His raw stuff is reportedly incredible to watch, and one scout compared him at his best command/control with his stuff to former Braves closer Billy Wagner, who is a Hall of Famer in many books. Big-time praise!