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Atlanta Braves 2018 top 125 prospects: 51-75

By Benjamin Chase

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: A glove and the rosin bag sit on the mound before the interleague game between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on June 23, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: A glove and the rosin bag sit on the mound before the interleague game between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on June 23, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images) /
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75. Brandon White, RHRP

Level(s): Rome Braves, Florida Fire Frogs
Stats: 3-6, 11 saves, 41 G, 58 2/3 IP, 3.68 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 9.1% BB, 20.5% K
Brandon White was a 12th round pick out of Lander University by the Atlanta Braves in 2016. He has seemingly run into a block with moving beyond Rome, and 2018 was a tremendous example as he had a 1.23 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and a 9/40 BB/K over 36 2/3 innings with Rome before being promoted without a single home run allowed, yet with Florida, he posted a 7.77 ERA, 2.05 WHIP, and a 15/14 BB/K, allowing 3 home runs over just 22 innings at high-A. No matter what the issue is with bumping up the level if White can handle it, he could move quickly up the system, but he might be on his last shot to do so in 2019.

Atlanta Braves
ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 25: Jason Hurssh #56 of the Atlanta Braves throws an eighth inning pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers at SunTrust Park on June 25, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

74. Jason Hursh, RHRP

Level(s): Mississippi Braves, Gwinnett Stripers
Stats: 2-6, 8 saves, 53 G, 1 GS, 68 IP, 3.71 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 12.8% BB, 19.5% K
The Atlanta Braves first round pick in 2013, Jason Hursh has been long a symbol of the previous administration, and he may no longer be in the team’s plans after not making it back up to the major leagues at all in 2018 after getting 11 games between 2016 and 2017. Hursh has exceptional ground ball stuff that would work well in that limited role in a big league bullpen, but it would require a manager who was able to utilize him in that way and a bullpen that had the ability to hold a player with that limited skillset.

73. Jonathan Morales, C

Level(s): GCL Braves, Mississippi Braves, Gwinnett Stripers
Stats: .265/.326/.340, 70 G, 241 PA, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5.8% BB, 12.9% K
Even with a very good control of the strike zone, Morales struggled to establish himself in a season when the Atlanta Braves cleared a number of catchers out of the way in the pecking order of the system for Morales to step up. Morales had a very good showing in his 2015 draft season offensively, but he’s never quite hit to the same level, and his defense has made significant strides since that first season, but he still has work in his comfort calling a game and instincts in blocking balls. Morales does have a tremendous arm, and his ability to keep a passable contact rate could give him a shot as a backup catcher.

72. Carlos Paraguate, SS

Level(s): DSL Braves
Stats: .226/.337/.279, 62 G, 246 PA, 7 2B, 2 3B, 20 SB, 12.2% BB, 22.8% K
Signed out of Venezuela, Paraguate was the name that kept coming up in discussion on the DSL this year. His error numbers were high (28 in 481 innings), but he has incredible raw range at shortstop and an arm that definitely belongs on the left side of the infield. Paraguate also has raw power the some described as above-average with plus speed. He was consistently described with words like “exciting”, “unique”, and “potential”, Paraguate is a big guy to watch when he comes stateside in 2019.

71. Alan Rangel, RHSP

Level(s): Rome Braves
Stats: 5-7, 25 G, 22 GS, 125 1/3 IP, 4.09 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 5.8% BB, 19.7% K
Rangel doesn’t have an upper-90s fastball, but he does have a plus change with plus control that allows him to keep low-level hitters off base. He repeated Rome in 2018 as much to build up innings as anything. He should get a chance to move up to Florida in 2019, and while he may never be a frontline starter, he could have plenty of value at the back end of a rotation as he develops.

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