Atlanta Braves: Don’t Count on Drew Waters in 2021

As the Atlanta Braves try to figure out their outfield for the coming season, it’s probably not best to put their hope in this prospect.

We’ve had a lot of comments lately suggesting that Drew Waters is the answer in left field next season. Or people don’t want the Atlanta Braves to sign an outfielder this season that will block Drew Waters.

First of all, I’m not saying the kid won’t go one to have a good big league career, but I just want to calm down those people that think he’s going to come up next year and be a stud — that’s not happening.

He’ll turn 22 years old this December. This is no reason to rush him along.

I’ve watched Waters in person twice and it was not a good showing. And then we got a pretty good look at him this past spring training and it was rough.

We have no clue what he looked like at the alternate training site this summer, but if the Braves were that slow to give Cristian Pache a chance, I can’t imagine they’ll be eager to rush up Waters next year.

He really needs a full season at Triple-A to work on his swing and make more contact.

Depending on who you talk to, Water is already either a major bust or he’s a top 25 prospect in all of baseball. And that’s kind of the feeling I get with him — boom or bust.

So far what I’ve seen from him has been bust, but again, he’s just 22. I want to see him get a full year at Double-A/Triple-a. He just simply needs those at-bats.

Had he gotten them in 2020 and you could see those adjustments happening, then yes, maybe he is ready to make an impact in 2021.

But unfortunately, a lot of prospects missed those at-bats and as a result, lost a year of development.

Waters certainly fits in that category and would be unfair to him to throw him in the fire next year with a team that’s looking to win a championship.

The Braves will likely start the year with Adam Duvall in left field in a platoon with a left-handed bat. But I don’t see Waters having much of an impact for the Braves in 2021.