Don’t get wrapped up in a player’s position on the list. Both Baseball America’s top-10 list and the latest available list from MLB Pipeline includes eight players of the same position (pitcher) - two recovering from UCL replacement surgery - but agree on ranks of only four.
The Braves have pitching prospects by the dozens, and they’ll need them
The club’s pitching depth has come through during their seven-year run of postseason appearances, and they’ll rely on that depth to provide innings in 2025 as well. As you read this, remember that projections of future success are in the eye of the beholder; we’ve seen low-ranked/unranked prospects succeed and top prospects vanish overnight.
The players are listed in reverse order of BA’s list. I’ll include Pipeline’s rank and a brief summary of each player’s projection.
10. Garrett Bauman RHP (MLBP 16) BA Grades FB: 55 | Sl: 45 | Ch: 45 | Control: 55
Bauman’s a 6-foot-8, 245-pound right-hander who threw 92+ innings in 18 starts and one relief appearance for Augusta, pitching to a 3.42 ERA, striking out 82 and walking 23. His heater sits at 93-94 and touched 98 with lots of movement.
BA suggests that he might add a two-seam fastball to his mix and “has the look of a workhorse-like back-end starter.” Pipeline agrees but suggests it will take a while for him to arrive, but he only turned 20 in August, so he has time. He’ll start 2025 with Rome.
9. Lucas Braun RHP (MLBP 21) BA Grades FB: 50 | Cu: 45 | Sl: 50 | Ch: 45 | Control: 60
Braun finished 2024 with Mississippi and all Braves prospects by pitching to a 3.26 ERA over 143+ innings, striking out 162 while posting a 3.26 ERA and walking 42. Braun moved to the third base side of the rubber as a pro. BA notes his delivery adds “some deception thanks to a low release height and the angle created by a crossfire landing.”
He features a 93 mph fastball that can touch 95-96, a mid-80s slider, and a 78-82 mph curveball; both of which are a work in progress. He throws strikes, and while he will get some Ks, he tries to induce weak contact and relies on his defense. He may start 2025 with Mississippi, but should get to Gwinnett quickly and could make his debut this season.
8. Drue Hackenberg RHP (MLBP 9) BA Grades FB: 50 | Cu: 55 | Ch: 45. | CFB: 40 | Control: 40
Hackenberg started the season with Rome and shot through the system to end it at Gwinnett. His 144 Ks were second only to Braun’s 162 in the system outs, and his 53.9% GB rate was third in the system among pitchers with at least 50 IP. Both of his fastballs are low 90s offerings, his two-seamer generates a lot of groundballs, and his curve is one of the system's best, according to BA.
Hackenberg projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter, and you’ll likely see him in Atlanta in 2025.