Atlanta Braves and the 2022 draft: 10th round takeaways

The Braves have eyes everywhere

In the past, we fans could gain some comfort in the draft scouting process thanks to knowing the track records of men like Roy Clark and Brian Bridges.

After Alex Anthopoulos came to town, there were some changes, and those eventually reached into the scouting department.  He installed “his people”, which included a new Vice Presidents of scouting Dana Brown.

Brown is said to have been instrumental in getting AA’s attention on the subject of Michael Harris this year.  He drafted Harris in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft, but without prodding, Harris might still be toiling at Double-A Mississippi.

Likewise, Spencer Strider was picked up in the 4th round of the 2020 draft.

You don’t “hit” on every draft prospect, but where would the 2022 Atlanta Braves be right now without these kids?

But it’s not just Dana Brown.  We’re told that second pick JR Richie was found and scouted by former Braves pitcher Cody Martin.  Detailed reports from a college pitching coach named Tim Hudson led Atlanta to draft Blake Burkhalter.

You see, the network is wide (remember that geography lesson earlier?), but it’s also being effective.

My first gut instinct was that Atlanta had taken some kids in these early rounds that they would still have been able to get a pick later in the process.  That might be true, although there was some public “shock” expressed that Richie was still on the board at position 35.

That tells me that these were the kids this draft team wanted to get and that they were solid on their own evaluations.

Honestly at this point… I think this new scouting crew has earned the right to make those calls based on their performance so far.  They certainly have done the leg work needed… which means I’ll never be able to guess along with them in any draft, for they are clearly operating at a whole ‘nother level.

There’s another 10 rounds to go tomorrow.  Most of these kids will be used to “fill out” the organization for as long as they last. Beyond that, the team will likely fan out and try to sign some undrafted free agents that escaped detection… perhaps up to a dozen kids will be added in that manner.

There’s not usually a lot of expectations that any added from here onward will make the majors… but every now and again, that “norm” is challenged.

With these scouts, though… you almost have to expect the unexpected. It’s been a Braves Thing for a generation.