Braves Prospects: MVP and Cy Young for Augusta GreenJackets

One Atlanta Braves season has come to an end as their Single-A affiliate, the Augusta GreenJackets, recently wrapped up their 2022 season. Here are the highlights. 

While rankings for media outlets won’t rank the Atlanta Braves farm system among the best in baseball, we see its worth in 2022 with three rookies making a huge impact.

The next crop of Braves players got their start in professional baseball with the Augusta GreenJackets this year, including several recently drafted prospects.

Braves Prospects: 2022 MLB Draft Standouts at Augusta

Their top two picks from 2022 got a handful of starts in August.

First-round pick, Owen Murphy, allowed 6 earned runs on 5 hits and 6 walks over 7 innings pitched (3 starts) with 10 strikeouts. Five of those runs and 3 of those walks came in one start.

Thirty-fifth overall pick, JR Ritchie, gave up 3 earned runs on 7 hits and 4 walks over 10 innings (3 starts) with 10 strikeouts. Two of those runs and 3 of those walks came in one outing.

Blake Burkhalter tossed 4.1 scoreless innings allowing just 1 hit with no walks and 7 strikeouts at Augusta.

Third-round pick, Drake Baldwin, slashed .247/.396/.284 with 3 doubles, 18 walks, and 22 strikeouts. David McCabe, their fourth-round pick, slashed .260/.347/.350 with 6 doubles, 1 home run, 23 RBI, 15 walks, and 27 strikeouts.

And then their fifth-round pick, Ignacio Alvarez, slashed .294/.493/.373 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 19 walks, and just 9 strikeouts.

It’s also worth mentioning that 17th-round pick, Kevin Kilpatrick, slashed .287/.354/.425 with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, and 7 stolen bases in 21 games.

Keshawn Ogans, their last pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, slashed .286/.364/.351 in 18 games before getting promoted to Rome.

Another 2022 draft pick, E.J. Exposito, led all recent draft picks with 3 home runs at Augusta in 26 games.

Braves Prospects: MVP at Augusta

minimum 300 at-bats

Geraldo Quintero: Swith-hitting infielder signed out Venezuela, he had a superb year at Augusta slashing .262/.358/.423 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 6 home runs, 61 runs scored, 47 RBI, 26 stolen bases, 48 walks, and 69 strikeouts.

Not putting him a comp on him, but he is also 5-foot-8 and switch hits like another recent top prospect for the Braves that could be returning to the big leagues soon.

Since being called up to High-A, Quintero is slashing .238/.347/.363 with 4 doubles and 2 home runs in 22 games.

Honorable mention: Brandol Mezquita (.281/.371/.375) 

Braves Prospects: Cy Young at Augusta

minimum 50 innings pitched

J.J. Niekro: The legacy player got off to an incredible start with August in 2022 and finished with a 2.09 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 73.1 innings with 17 walks to 77 strikeouts.

He was signed by the Braves as an undrafted free agent in 2021 out of Florida Southern College.

The righty was promoted to Rome in July and struggled for a while, but has allowed just 3 earned runs in hist last 9 innings with 3 walks and 10 strikeouts.

Honorable mention: James Acuna (3.17 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 59.1 IP, 37 H, 32 BB, 67 Ks)

It’s worth mentioning that top prospect AJ Smith-Shawver was second on the team with 103 strikeouts in just 68.2 innings.

Those are your standouts from the Augusta GreenJackets in 2022. It will be interesting to see how these Braves prospects follow it up in 2023!