7. Kyle Muller
Updated Rank: 5
Personal Rank: 7
Updated Personal Rank: 6
Kyle Muller comes to the Braves from Jesuit College Preparatory in Dallas, Texas. The big lefty was the Braves 2nd round pick back in 2016.
After climbing through the ranks of the Braves minor league system, Muller finally got some game action with the big-league club in 2021.
Muller appeared in 9 games, started 8, pitched 36.2 innings with a 4.17 ERA, 3.95 xERA, 3.66 FIP, 4.88 xFIP, and 4.85 SIERA. It was a mixed bag with Muller in his short stint in Atlanta.
He struck out 23.1% of batters but walked 12.9% of guys faced. That walk rate is the concern with Muller, and what will be the main roadblock he needs to overcome in order to become a major league pitcher.
In AAA, Muller pitched 79.2 innings with a 3.39 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 4.30 xFIP, 27.0%, and 12.2% walk rate.
The 6’7 lefty features arguably the best fastball in the system when he has control over it. He also features a slider, curveball, and changeup. The changeup is mostly for show, as the slider and curveball are his go to secondary offerings.
The issue with Muller will be the control. His stuff is electric, but it does not matter unless he throws them for strikes.
The lack of control also leads to a higher pitch count for Muller. This often prevents him from going deep in games, limiting his impact.
Muller will be given an opportunity to compete for a roster spot in Atlanta. He might need to start back in Gwinnett, but should still see time in Atlanta in 2022. This will probably be the last time he is featured on prospect lists.