Atlanta Braves Top 3 to Crack MLB’s ‘Top 100 Right Now’ in 2021
By Seth Carter
Max Fried
Max Fried was a very highly regarded prospect in the Padres’ system. Taken in the first round of the 2012 draft as the seventh overall pick, he was traded to the Braves in December of 2014 as a part of a prospect-rich package in exchange for Justin Upton.
Fried has the profile and pedigree of a frontline starter. His potential shined through last season.
He made his debut in 2017, making four starts in nine games for the Braves. He pitched 26.0 innings to the tune of a 3.81 ERA.
The following season he nailed down a 2.94 ERA in 14 appearances. The one issue was his command.
Over his first two major league seasons, he totaled 59.2 innings with 66 strikeouts. His combined ERA sat an impressive 3.32, good for an ERA+ of 128.
However, the 4.8 walks per nine innings sounded the alarm bells.
Last season Max Fried put up a very impressive first full season as a starter. He made 30 starts and appeared in 33 games for the Braves.
Fried was worth 2.9 rWAR and won 17 games. He continued striking batters out at a high rate. Maybe the most important note is that he brought his walks per nine down from a 5.3 to a 2.6.
The Hope
Fried is a rare combination of a strikeout artist who induces more than a 50% groundball rate. In fact, Fried finished eighth in all of baseball among starting pitchers this past season with a 53.2% groundball rate. One year wiser at just age 26, the next step for Fried is stardom.
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Who do you think has the best chance to break into the top 100?