Tomahawk Take’s Atlanta Braves Prospect Rankings: 30-26
Members of the Tomahawk Take crew got together to rank the top 30 prospects in the Atlanta Braves organization.
Amid a lockout, the Tomahawk Take crew ranked their top prospects in the Atlanta Braves organization. The following contributed:
- Alan Carpenter (@Carpengui)
- Jake Mastroianni (@ShortStopBall)
- Payton Wilkerson (@pmwilkerson99)
- Thomas Ashworth (@ThomasAshworth0)
- James Kunkle (@Jimmy_Kunkle)
- Matt Melton (@Matt_Melton20)
- Sam Peebles (@SPeeblesSports)
- Andrew Cicco (@Andrewnotsicko)
- Trent Dickeson (@Trenciarte)
Nine writers ranked the Braves prospects, and the rankings were then averaged together to get an overall ranking.
The Braves farm is not as highly ranked as it once was. Gone are the days of the Braves carrying the top farm system in baseball with prospects such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Austin Riley, Max Fried, Mike Soroka, Ian Anderson, and many others.
Graduating that many guys will obviously damage a minor league system’s ranking. Add in the international free agency restrictions the Braves have faced for several years, and the system is much thinner than it once was at the height of the rebuild.
The Braves did win a World Series Championship thanks mostly to that rebuild. So I think it is alright the farm system is not as highly ranked as it once was.
Now, the Braves look to defend their crown and win another (hopefully several) championship(s) in the coming seasons. Who will be in the next wave of players to make an impact in the future?
While the system is not as talented as it once was, there is still plenty of top end talent. The issue is the lower levels are not as deep, mainly due to the international sanctions the Braves faced.
There is a clear top tier of guys. Once one gets into the bottom of the system, rankings become a little murkier. This led to over 40 prospects receiving votes.
Honorable Mention:
30. Dylan Dodd
Personal Rank: 32
Dylan Dodd was the Atlanta Braves third-round selection out of Southeast Missouri State University. The 6’3 lefty is an intriguing prospect that could quickly rise up rankings.
The Braves may also be aggressive with his promotions.
In his final collegiate season, he struck out 120 over 96.2 innings with a 3.17 ERA. More impressively, he only walked 17 batters over that span.
Dodd pitched in 14 professional innings for the Braves between Augusta and Rome. The ERA may not have looked great in the short sample size, but the strikeout potential was on full display.
Facing 61 batters, Dodd struck out 20 translating to a 32.7% strikeout rate which is elite. It will be interesting to see if he can keep up the strikeouts as he advances through the minors.
Dodd showed phenomenal control, walking only 3 batters for a 4.9% walk rate. As mentioned, it is a small sample of professional ball for Dodd, but there was plenty to love about the profile.
Dodd does not overpower anyone currently with the fastball, which sits in the low to mid 90s. However, the advanced control and excellent spin rates make it an effective pitch.
He pairs this well with an effective changeup that serves as his number two pitch. He also has a curveball that needs work but could work well off his other two pitches.
Dylan Dodd goes to the changeup for his first professional strikeout pic.twitter.com/P1kIFMBVFf
— Garrett Spain (@BravesMILB) August 22, 2021
Dodd projects as a number 4 starter right now, but the Braves were aggressive with him which could suggest they see something in him. A big 2022 could see Dodd rise prospect rankings.
A general view prior to the Atlanta Braves game. (Photo by Michael Zarrilli/Getty Images)
29. Tyler Collins
Personal Rank: 22
The Atlanta Braves 8th round selection in the 2021 MLB draft was Tyler Collins out of McKinney Boyd High School in Texas. The Braves were able to keep Collins away from Oklahoma State by going over-slot on his draft bonus.
The early returns on Collins were promising in rookie ball. Collins hit .347/.424/.453 with a 140 wRC+. He may not have hit any home runs, but he did score 16 runs and add in 7 RBI.
The biggest key offensively was the 12 stolen bases in 23 games. Complex numbers can be deceiving, especially for stolen bases, but the 70-grade speed potential is there and will be what draws him the most hype in prospect rankings.
There is also belief he could become a plus defender in the outfield. His legs will give him opportunity, but he will need to hit enough to stay on the field to take advantage of that speed and defense.
He struck out 27.1% of the time, which is a concern. However, he did show some patience at the plate, walking 8.2% of his plate appearances.
Collins is a line drive hitter with good bat to ball skills, and there is belief that he should add power to his frame as he ages. How much power he develops will impact how highly he will rise rankings.
The Braves Vice President of Scouting, Dana Brown, spoke highly of Collins comparing him to Kenny Lofton. That is a big comparison. Others have compared him to Dee Strange-Gordon.
I'm not sure enough people are talking about 2B/OF Tyler Collins (5-10, 180) of McKinney Boyd HS in Texas. Legitimate 70+ runner (4.29 on the turn). Athletic frame, line drive oriented, some good bat-to-ball skill. Very little game power. Some Dee Gordon archetype here.#MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/fdKIxekevC
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) April 22, 2021
Collins is a raw talent with plenty of upside. He is still years away from being in the big leagues, meaning there will be plenty of time for him to develop.
He will most likely spend most, if not all, of 2022 in Low-A Augusta. If the power develops, and Collins continues to get on base, he could be a prospect to keep an eye on in 2-3 years. Could be worth making a trip out to Augusta to watch a game!
28. Greyson Jenista
Personal Rank: 31
The 2nd round pick for the Braves out of Wichita State in 2018, Greyson Jenista’s prospect status has dropped in recent years.
He did have a solid season in Mississippi in 2021, hitting .216/.343/.465 with 19 HR, 45 R, 42 RBI, 7 SB, and a 124 wRC+. The biggest concern for Jenista is the strikeouts. He struck out in 35.9% of his plate appearances.
He has 60 grade raw power but has trouble making consistent contact. On the flip side, Jenista is very patient, walking 15.5% of the time.
Some have wondered if Jenista is too patient, and this leads to him getting in pitcher’s counts leading to the higher strikeouts. However, if Jenista can consistently get on base by working counts, it may be a worthy trade off for now.
He will need to eventually make consistent contact so the power can play, especially as he advances through the minors.
.@Braves prospect Greyson Jenista LAUNCHES three homers to right for the @mbraves. pic.twitter.com/NBbsMdbO2Z
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 3, 2021
Jenista is an average fielder and can play either first or corner outfield spot. His strong arm has allowed him to get extended time in right field.
Right now, he projects more as a power bench bat who can fill in at the corner outfield positions if needed. Unfortunately, he does not appear to have a high ceiling, and will probably never be a consistent everyday player.
He is a lefty, and can play multiple defensive positions well, so he could end up in a strong side platoon if his contact skills develop. At the very least, his plus power makes him interesting that he should find an opportunity in the majors at some point.
For Jenista, he could see time in Gwinnett in 2022. If he performs well, there could be an opportunity for him to contribute at the major league level. It might be in a bench or platoon role, but the opportunity could be there.
There is also the possibility that Jenista could be an intriguing trade piece for the Braves. He could be a solid 3rd or 4th piece in a trade.
Jenista also benefits from a universal DH that would open more jobs for sluggers like him.
27. William Woods
Personal Rank: 33
It has been a rough two years for William Woods. Drafted in the 23rd round in 2018 out of Dyersburg State Community College, there was thoughts that the Braves may have gotten a steal in the later rounds.
In 2019, at the low-A level, Woods appeared in 20 games, started 7 pitching 51 innings pitching to a 3.35 ERA, 4.06 FIP, & 4.16 xFIP with a 10.24 K/9, and a 26.6% strikeout rate. The one concern being his control, 5.12 BB/9 & 13.3% walk rate, as it the case with several young pitchers.
Even with some of the warts, Woods displayed some potential that saw him climbing into the top 30 lists for the Braves organization.
Then the 2020 pandemic season happened, and Woods lost a professional season. Coming off a promising season, this was seen as a detriment to Woods overall development.
Then in 2021, he gets injured and only tosses 10.2 innings. In 9.2 innings at high-A Rome, Woods sported a 4.66 ERA, 7.90 FIP, 5.39 xFIP across 4 games. He struggled to miss bats, striking out 16.7% of batters.
He did participate in the Arizona Fall League and did perform better. He pitched in 6 games, starting 5, with a 4.29 ERA. He struck out 22.2% of batters, but still walked too many batters (10.9%).
However, he still has a hype surrounding him from some scouts.
One of the biggest risers in the Braves system?
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) February 4, 2021
RHP William Woods.
Find out why + see his new scouting report in our updated Braves Top 30: https://t.co/J2svfGPkM2
(🎥 @williamwoods22)
https://t.co/F6R9CXoe29
Woods throws hard. He can top out in the upper 90s and has some solid secondaries to play off the hard fastball. The issue is he cannot always control the pitches. He also must figure out how to miss more bats.
Personally, I do not see Woods remaining as a starter for much longer in his major league career, and that caps his prospect rankings for me. Relievers just do not get ranked as high as other positions.
As long as he is listed as a starter, there will always be a sense of “what if” surrounding the big fastball. It seems that his projection as a starter would be backend at best.
Yet as a reliever, his big fastball paired with an effective slider could really play up in one to two inning roles. Woods may never reach “elite” prospect status, but he is a guy I would keep an eye on if (when) he finally transitions to the bullpen.
26. Diego Benitez
Personal Rank: 23
The big prize of the international signing class, Diego Benitez comes in at 26 on the Tomahawk Take prospect ranking. The number 10 international prospect according to MLB, Benitez signed a $2.5M deal with the Atlanta Braves.
Benitez and Douglas Glod (the other big name international signee) highlight the first international class the Braves have since the infamous scandal from the previous administration. The same scandal that has caused the lower level of the Braves minors to become as thin as it is.
Both guys along with Ambioris Tavarez, last year’s international signee, all bring intriguing potential that will be exciting to watch in the lower level of the minors. The biggest issue with the international guys is they are harder to scout.
Here’s a short clip of Diego Benitez, the Braves newest signee. pic.twitter.com/0lVzmwVI2q
— Trent (@Trenciarte) January 15, 2022
The scouting report lists Benitez as a toolsy player with a good frame that will provide power to drive the ball out of stadiums. He also presents the ability to develop into a plus runner and above average defender.
Benitez is listed as a shortstop, but with the current projection that he will add bulk to his frame, he should move off the position.
One scouting report compared him to a “young Manny Machado.” While Machado is not the most popular baseball player, that is a lofty comparison for the young Benitez. If he can truly develop into a young Machado, the Braves have a potential stud prospect in their farm.
Like most international guys, the seventeen-year-old is likely several years away. He will likely spend time at the complex leagues and rookie ball and hopefully reach A-ball within a couple years. If he is a young Machado talent wise, he may accelerate that timeline.