Atlanta Braves: Ten Years of Number One Prospects 2001-2010
By Seth Carter
2006-2007: Jarrod Saltalamacchia
2006
Andy Marte would find himself inside the top 10 for a third straight year, however this season he made the list for the Cleveland Indians. His departure gave way to perhaps the most fun name to pronounce in baseball.
Our old friend Jarrod Saltalamacchia would be our lone representative on the list in 2006 as the “Baby Braves” had established themselves in the major leagues the previous season.
2007
“Salty” led another group of Braves prospects in 2007. The franchise didn’t appear to have any future stars in their top 10, but with McCann entrenching himself at the big-league level by earning an All-Star appearance in 2006, Salty became a fairly valuable trade piece for the Braves.
Trade him they did. On July 31 of the 2007 season, the former first-rounder was a part of a package sent to the Rangers in exchange for the thunderous bat of Mark Texiera.
Saltalamacchia would go on to play in 12 major-league seasons and won a World Championship with the Red Sox in 2013.
2008: Jordan Schafer
Jason Heyward had begun his ascent through the Braves’ minor league system and started the 2008 season as the 36th rated prospect. That wasn’t enough to make him our top prospect though as Jordan Schafer claimed the top spot for the Braves and the 17th overall ranking.
Schafer would go on to become a part-time player with very good speed. He stole 103 bags across six major-league seasons and actually transitioned to pitching in 2016. He found a modicum of success in AA-Tulsa as a part of the Dodgers’ organization when he appeared in 40.0 innings while racking up 49 strikeouts and posting a 3.15 ERA.