Because of the Atlanta Braves’ long history of prospect development, Spring Training is a rich opportunity to witness the rise of young superstars. Mere teenagers and 20-somethings stake their claim under the Florida sun, and for some, the standout performance becomes a ticket to a serious look in the big leagues.
While there are numerous times when Braves players jumped on to fans' radars in camp, some breakout performances stand out more than others. Here are the top four Braves breakout performances of the last 20 years.
Thanks to the rich farm system, the Braves have boasted their fair share of breakouts in spring training
Jason Heyward, 2009
At just 19 years old, Jason Heyward earned an invite to big-league camp in 2009. He had only risen to High-A Myrtle Beach for seven games and suddenly he was drilling homers that cleared the fences by almost 100 feet during batting practice. In games, Heyward slugged .475 and outshined fellow 19-year-old Freddie Freeman. Ultimately, it was the 2010 spring training performance, where he displayed improved plate discipline without sacrificing power, that earned him a big-league roster spot, but his 2009 display had fans dreaming of the next great Braves slugger.
Julio Teheran, 2013
By 2013, Julio Teheran had made his Major League debut and earned his first big-league win. However, he hadn’t quite gained a permanent role in the Braves’ rotation. Turns out, racking up strikeouts can create a pretty compelling case for an Opening Day roster spot. In six spring starts, Teheran put up a 36.8% strikeout rate. More impressively, he left three of his outings without surrendering a hit. He already had a combined no-no under his belt in the minors, and he twice took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his big-league career. It’s no wonder that Teheran would become the Braves’ go-to Opening Day starter for the better part of a decade.
Ronald Acuña Jr., 2018
Like Heyward before him, Ronald Acuña Jr. rode the hype train into Spring Training in 2018. He had already dominated the Arizona Fall League to the tune of a .639 slugging percentage and .325 batting average. He was even better in the Grapefruit League. In 16 games, Acuña hit .432/.519/.727 and by all rights should have been an Opening Day starter. Service time considerations sent him down to Triple-A Gwinnett only to see him rise to the Majors just 23 games into the season en route to the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
Huascar Ynoa, 2021
Yes, Huascar Ynoa finished Spring Training with a 7.79 ERA in 2021, but we can’t ignore that Ynoa struck out 28 batters in just 17 1/3 innings and added velocity to his fastball and break to his slider. Ynoa was a mediocre pitcher in the regular season, but his wipeout slider and surprise breakout will always hold a special place in Braves fans’ hearts.