Atlanta Braves: Is Cristian Pache about to take the big leagues by storm?

The Atlanta Braves enter the 2020 season boasting a roster filled with several young talents that have recently graduated from the minor leagues, begging the anticipated question — who is next?

For many, the popular answer to that is Cristian Pache –future Atlanta Braves outfield phenom? (Or, perhaps Phenom Part II? That Ronald Acuna, Jr. kid is also pretty good.)

There’s no question that Pache has been on the radar of those who follow the Atlanta Braves for a few years now, which makes it all the more unbelievable that – as long as his name has been around – he still just turned 21 years old in November.

Baseball minds far and wide are salivating at the potential that this toolsy, 6’2″, 185-lbs outfielder brings with him.

He’s widely considered not just one of the top prospects in the Atlanta Braves system, but perhaps one of the elite minor leaguers in all of baseball.

While Pache will likely begin the 2020 season with Triple-A Gwinnett, there is wide speculation that he won’t necessarily be there long.

How did we get here?

Cristian Pache was just 16 years old when he was signed by the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent in July of 2015.

One year later, in his first season with the organization’s rookie levels – the Gulf Coast League and Danville Braves – Pache flashed his terrific glove-and-arm combination in the outfield, while also holding his own at the plate, hitting for a .308 average between the two teams in over 230 plate appearances.

In 2017, Pache saw his first full season of minor-league work with the Rome Braves – and he certainly didn’t disappoint.

It was here that he was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team while continuing to excel defensively.

Pache’s bat showed marked improvement upon his promotion to the Florida Fire Frogs in 2018, as he belted 8 home runs over 93 games to couple with his great defense.

Last year was the season in which Pache’s perceived ceiling was elevated significantly.

In 104 games played last season with the Double-A Mississippi Braves, Cristian Pache – an already-established defensive extraordinaire – saw his offensive output explode to a level not quite anticipated.

The final numbers looked like this: an .814 OPS, a 134 wRC+, and 11 home runs – two more than his three previous minor league seasons combined.

The kid is seemingly starting to put it all together.