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Atlanta Braves 2018 minor league review: middle infielders

By Benjamin Chase

MIAMI, FL - AUGUST 25: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves jumps in the air while J.T. Realmuto #11 of the Miami Marlins steals second base during the third inning of the game at Marlins Park on August 25, 2018 in Miami, Florida. All players across MLB will wear nicknames on their backs as well as colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs inspired by youth-league uniforms during Players Weekend. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - AUGUST 25: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves jumps in the air while J.T. Realmuto #11 of the Miami Marlins steals second base during the third inning of the game at Marlins Park on August 25, 2018 in Miami, Florida. All players across MLB will wear nicknames on their backs as well as colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs inspired by youth-league uniforms during Players Weekend. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) /
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A-ball

Perhaps one of the biggest beneficiaries of the loss of the players stripped away from the Atlanta Braves over the offseason was Riley Delgado. Delgado was drafted in the 9th round in 2017 out of Middle Tennessee State, and he showed right away that his glove was ready for full-season ball, making it to Rome in his draft season. However, no one could have expected his bat to come out the way it did.

Delgado has good gap power, but not a ton of over-fence power or speed along with a quality contact tool and low strikeout rate. Delgado has a mature approach at the plate and the field. He reminds strongly of a guy in the mold of Rey Sanchez. He will be fun to track going forward to see how he can push that profile forward.

On the opposite end of Delgado, who is maximizing his tools using maturity is Derian Cruz, who has all the natural talent one could ever want. However, Cruz has struggled immensely to achieve positive results. This season with Rome, he hit .222/.254/.308 with 4 home runs and 4 stolen bases, posting a 2.78% walk rate and 26.39%. He also struggled heavily in the field, as evidenced by his 30 errors at second base.

Cruz will be pushed by the Braves, and the team still sees the talent, as Cruz will turn 20 in the offseason, so there is plenty of opportunity still to have it “click” for Cruz, but to this point, there is a lot of raw talent that isn’t being utilized.

A 10th round pick out of South Carolina, Marcus Mooney has been a steadying influence in the system ever since, working well as a utility infielder that offers mature approach on the field and at the plate to work with younger players.

Kevin Josephina is yet another Atlanta Braves signee from Curacao, a country the team has done very well drawing in talent from since Andruw Jones. Josephina is an exceptionally blessed player in raw tools, but thus far has struggled to put those tools to consistent use, with plate discipline issues in spite of evident potential power and present speed. He combined for a .217/.280/.248 line between A-ball levels in 45 games in 2018. While he’s just 21, he’ll need to show some polish to continue to get opportunities with the Braves to advance up the ladder.

Polish is the least of the worries of 2018 8th round pick AJ Graffanino, who came in from the University of Washington and immediately showed a balanced approach in the field and at the plate, earning his way to Rome for over 150 plate appearances in his draft season. He acquitted himself quite nicely as well, slashing .318/.344/.382 between Danville and Rome with a home run and 5 steals. It’s his steady defense and well-above-average feel for the game in all aspects that could give Graffanino the chance to reach the majors as a backup infielder in the way his father did before him.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic, Luis Mejia hit well in his first year in the DSL and has shown good contact ability at times along the way. Consistency is the issue with Mejia right now.

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