Continuing our series of scouting reports on the Atlanta Braves top prospects we take a look at the former ninth overall pick in Shea Langeliers.
After focussing in on some of the top pitching prospects for the Atlanta Braves last week, we turn our attention to the top hitters in the system.
And we start with catching prospect Shea Langeliers who continued to show why he’s already one of the best defensive catchers in all of baseball, while also continuing to show promise with the bat in 2021.
So much so, that he was on the taxi squad in case of an emergency during the Braves postseason run.
A ninth overall pick in 2019 out of Baylor, he was immediately sent to Single-A Rome and slashed .255/.310/.343/.652 with 2 home runs in 216 at-bats.
After spending 2020 at the alternate training site camp, they started him at Double-A in 2021 where he was one of the best power hitters in a very pitcher-friendly league belting 22 of them in 329 at-bats while slashing .258/.338/.498/.836.
While he did get 5 games in Gwinnett to end the season, I do like that the Braves kept him at Double-A for the majority of 2021.
It typically takes catchers longer than others to develop at the plate with everything they have to do behind the plate as a signal-caller and game manager.
Even with the Braves’ lack of depth at catching once Travis d’Arnaud went down in 2021, they couldn’t afford to rush him to the big leagues.
With two veterans in TDA and Manny Pina already on the roster for 2022, it looks like the Braves are hopeful to get him another year of seasoning in the minors.
But make no mistake, he’s the catcher of the future in Atlanta.