Atlanta Braves Week 5 Farm Report: The best week yet

(15-13) Mississippi Braves (AA)

Week 5 Record: 5-1

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

(OF) Drew Waters

Waters just keeps going, in what has been a remarkable start to the 2019 season. Week 5 featured a .523 batting average for the 20-year-old (11-for-23), but also the remains of a 7-game hitting-streak that consisted of all first-inning hits.

Overall, Waters is hitting at a .342 clip (.904 OPS) with 12 doubles and 2 home runs. I think it’s safe to say that 30-something games of High-A ball last year was plenty for him.

(SP) Ian Anderson

Success hasn’t came so easy in 2019, but Anderson pitched a gem Saturday, pitching a 2-hitter and striking out 11 in six innings. He walked three.

Anderson carries a 2-1 record currently, to go with a nice 2.79 ERA. He’s punched out 37 and walked 18 so far this season. It looks like the Braves #4 prospect is beginning to heat up.

(4/29) Monday: Lost 5-3 vs. Mobile BayBears – FULL RECAP

• (P) K. Muller: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
• (RF) D. Waters: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R
• (CF) C. Pache: 2-4, 3B, RBI, R, K

LA Angels #16 prospect, Patrick Sandoval, shutdown the M-Braves Monday with 7 strikeouts and only 3 hits allowed. Braves starter, Kyle Muller (#13 prospect), tried to match Sandoval but was a bit wild in this one.

Christian Pache (#1 prospect) tied the game up at two apiece in the 6th with an RBI-triple, but Josh Graham surrendered the walk-off 3-run homer in the 9th, spoiling the game.

Catcher Jonathan Morales picked up two hits, going 2-for-3 with a walk, and Ryan Casteel finished 1-for-4 with a strikeout.

*Also, Monday evening lefty reliever Philip Pfeifer was transferred to the Florida Fire Frogs (A+).  His transfer was the result of pitcher, Jonathan Aro, being activated from the 7-day IL for the M-Braves.

(4/30) Tuesday: OFF DAY

(5/1) Wednesday: Won 2-0 vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp – FULL RECAP

• (P) P. Weigel: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• (P) J. Walker: 5 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
• (RF) C. Pache: 2-4, RBI, K

For the sixth consecutive game, Drew Waters led off the game with a hit and the M-Braves shutout their opponent for the second time in 3 games.

Patrick Weigel (#21 prospect) and Jeremy Walker combined for 11 strikeouts, no walks, and only gave up 6 hits altogether as they worked the first 8 innings Wednesday.

Struggling first baseman, Andy Wilkins, picked up a much needed RBI, going 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. Carlos Martinez and Daniel Lockhart both picked up hits as well.

(5/2) Thursday: Won 2-1 vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp – FULL RECAP

• (P) J. Wentz: 7 IP, H, 0 ER, BB, 5 K
• (LF) D. Waters: 2-4, R, K
• (RF) C. Pache: 2-4, 2B

M-Braves starter, Joey Wentz, had his A-Game Thursday, retiring the first 18 batters he faced and pitching literally perfect until the 7th inning. Wentz threw 94 pitches (59 strikes) in his one-hit outing.

It’s becoming a regular theme, but like he’s done in his previous 6 games, Drew Waters led off the game with a hit in the 1st inning, his seventh consecutive game doing so. Conner Lien had a base-hit, finishing 1-for-3. He also stole second base and scored a run.

*Before Thursday night’s game, lefty Justin Kelly was promoted to the M-Braves (from Florida). Kelly is 26-years-old and currently has a 5.93 ERA in 7 relief appearances thus far.

Also, outfielder Tyler Neslony was activated from the IL and transferred to the M-Braves (from Gwinnett). Neslony suffered a thumb injury this past Spring. He was a 9th round pick by the Braves in 2016 out of Texas Tech.

(5/3) Friday: Won 4-2 vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp – FULL RECAP

• (P) T. Davidson: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
• (CF) D. Waters: 4-4, RBI
• (1B) A. Wilkins: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K

The M-Braves picked up their third-straight win Friday, led by the 20-year-old Drew Waters, who is no longer just leading the team, but now leading the league in numerous offensive stats.

Christian Pace had a more quiet evening, finishing 1-for-4 with a run scored and a strikeout. Third baseman Daniel Lockhart also contributed with a base-hit Friday, going 1-for-3 with a run scored as well.

The rest of the lineup went hitless, except for pinch-hitter Alejandro Salazar, who notched a base-hit and scored a run in his at-bat for pitcher Tucker Davidson (#20 prospect).

(5/4) Saturday: Won 2-0 vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp – FULL RECAP

• (P) I. Anderson: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
• (2B) A. Salazar: 2-3, R
• (SS) R. Didder: 2-3, 2 RBI

There’s the start we’ve been waiting for from Ian Anderson! Saturday night not only ended with the M-Braves fourth-straight win, but it also featured a more familiar outing from Braves #4 prospect, Ian Anderson.

Anderson’s 2-hit pitching performance required 101 pitches (57 strikes), as he kept contact at a minimum: 2 base-hits, 2 groundouts, and 3 flyouts from 23 batters faced.

The Braves offense was restricted a bit, failing to hit an XBH, but still managing a respectable 7 hits total. Drew Waters went hitless (0-for-4) for the first time in 7 games and Christian Pache walked twice, also failing to record a hit on Saturday.

(5/5) Sunday: Won 2-0 (F/10) vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp – FULL RECAP

• (P) K. Muller: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• (2B) A. Salazar: 0-3, RBI
• (3B) L. Valenzuala: 2-3, BB

Braves second baseman, Alejandro Salazar, laid down the perfect sac-bunt and converted the almost-extinct safety squeeze, winning the game in the 10th. Salazar is playing decent this season, batting .255 (74 wRC+) overall.

Kyle Muller didn’t factor into the decision Sunday, but pitched a solid game. Muller has a 3.79 ERA (5.09 FIP) in his 5 starts, to go along with 24 strikeouts and 21 walks in 19 total innings.

Drew Waters didn’t start Sunday, but he did pinch-hit, resulting in a strikeout. Waters has been fantastic in 2019, batting .345 with 2 homers and 12 doubles.

Christian Pache was hitless in his 3 at-bats Sunday, but it didn’t hurt his excellent season thus far. Pache has a 167 wRC+ (.330 average) and has raised his walk-rate almost 3% since 2018.

*Sunday’s win was Mississippi’s first time sweeping a 5-game series.