The Atlanta Braves' farm system is in tremendous shape at the moment. Reasonable people can disagree on exactly how it ranks against other minor league systems, but you will struggle to find anyone who doesn't think it's vastly improved. Between Eric Hartman's emergence, back-to-back strong draft classes, and a continued strong pitching pipeline, the Braves finally have a farm system that has real prospects at nearly every position.
However, that doesn't mean there haven't been some misses along the way. In fact, there are several Braves prospects in the minors right now who seem very much on track to be busts given how their 2026 seasons have gone.
These Braves prospects are trending in the wrong direction in 2026
Before we go any further here, this is not a list of the worst human beings in the Braves farm system. Baseball is really, really hard, and prospects can fall off for any number of reasons, and many of them are even the player's fault. It is also worth mentioning that these names are not final. Pretty much all of these guys still have time to turn things around and become real prospects again, even if the odds may be stacked against them right now.
Jose Perdomo
This is a shame, because Jose Perdomo was supposed to be one of the absolute best international free agents from his class back in January 2024, and the Braves really paid up to get him. Unfortunately, since he signed with Atlanta, Perdomo simply hasn't been able to stay healthy. Across three seasons, Perdomo has been limited to 64 games combined, and the results haven't been great when he has managed to be on the field. Right now, it is hard to see things turning around for Perdomo, although he IS still just 19 years old, so there is still some hope.
Isaiah Drake
This may look odd at first given that Isaiah Drake was actually having a nice bounce-back season in 2026 with a perfectly reasonable .785 OPS in 68 games. Unfortunately, he hasn't played since June 27 due to an injury, which is particularly problematic for Drake given that he was already repeating a level at Rome.
That lost time is the last thing Drake needed given how long it took him to finally get his timing at the plate right enough to cut down on his strikeouts. If the Braves decide to risk it and start Drake at Double-A next year and he hits, he will remain on track. However, if the lost time means he has to be at High-A again and/or his hit tool regresses again, Drake could be on thin ice as a legitimate prospect.
Drue Hackenberg
This is annoying, because the Braves already bucked industry consensus and gave Drue Hackenberg an overslot $2 million bonus in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft. The Braves loved the metrics on Hackenberg's pitches, and his pro career started well enough the first two seasons. However, he has been basically an afterthought the last two seasons, as his stuff has trended in the wrong direction. With a 5.00 ERA in 72 innings this season, as well as a growing list of injury concerns, Hackenberg looks like a shell of what Atlanta hoped he could be.
Ambioris Tavarez
Ambioris Tavarez was the Braves' first "big" international signing after the IFA penalties imposed by MLB began to subside. Tavarez looked okay in the FCL despite a near-total lack of power, but things have gone downhill since then. Currently at Double-A, Tavarez is working on back-to-back seasons with a sub-.600 OPS at the plate. Right now, it wouldn't be surprising at all if the Braves moved on after the season, and that is a bummer.
Cade Kuehler
Cade Kuehler's story is very similar to Hackenberg's, and he was even a member of the same draft class as him. Unfortunately, Kuehler has also had to deal with Tommy John surgery, which cost him a chunk of 2024 and the entire 2025 season. Since returning from injury, Kuehler has only managed to post a 6.36 ERA in 103.1 innings this season with a pretty concerning K:BB ratio. Given that Kuehler was drafted out of college and is already 24, he is running out of time quickly to change the trajectory of his career.
Nick Montgomery
You may be noticing a pattern now that Nick Montgomery, as he continues a trend of overslot picks made by the Braves seemingly not working out. It took $1 million for the Braves to sign Montgomery as a high school catcher in the fifth round of the 2024 draft. Since then, Montgomery hasn't even been able to hit above .200 as a pro. While he has shown some catching acumen, Montgomery's bat just isn't anywhere close to being good enough.
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