Braves: Which Prospect Will Gain Momentum in Arizona Fall League
While all of the focus is on the NLDS, the Atlanta Braves announced the players they will be sending to the Arizona Fall League this year.
The Atlanta Braves are sending a lot of really good prospects to the Arizona Fall League. But who will benefit the most and gain a ton of momentum going into 2022?
To start, here is the list of players for the Braves competing in the AFL:
Shea Langeliers — C
Luke Waddell — INF
Jesse Franklin — OF
Victor Vodnik — SP
Indigo Diaz — RP
William Woods — RP
Jake Higginbotham — RP
For Woods and Higginbotham it’s all about getting innings as they missed a large portion of the 2021 season.
Langeliers already has a ton of volume and was our Minor League MVP of 2021 in the Braves system.
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Waddell is a 2021 draft pick out of Georgia Tech who already advanced to Double-A. I see him more as a bench/utility player.
Jesse Franklin had a really good showing at High-A this year and almost overtook Michael Harris II as the MVP for that team. He could continue to surprise some people as he moves up the ladder.
The lone starting pitcher the Braves are sending is Vodnik, and many believe he’s destined for a bullpen role. His 5.35 ERA at Double-A this year wasn’t great, but that K/9 of 11 allows you to dream. He just has to work on his command (5.9 BB/9).
But the player I’ll be keeping an eye on the most and the prospect I think will get the most hype after the AFL is Indigo Diaz.
Most Braves fans are already aware of the work this 22-year-old did in 2021. He posted a 1.20 ERA in 45 innings with 83 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.822 combined between High-A Rome and Double-A Mississippi.
At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, his mid-90s fastball can really get on hitters and pairs well with his mid-80s slurve.
What I love the most is that he attacks the zone and doesn’t walk a ton of batters; however, his BB/9 did go from 2.3 at High-A to 4.5 at Double-A.
That will certainly be something to watch in the AFL and as he pitches at higher levels.
Next. NLDS: Staff Predictions. dark
I do believe he’ll continue to dominate in the AFL and afterward people will be wondering if he can be part of the Braves’ bullpen starting in 2022.