Braves News: Max Fried nominated, Ha-Seong Kim free agency chatter, AFL prospect update

The 2024 MLB season is nearing its end as the World Series kicks off on Friday evening between the Yankees and Dodgers. After the last out is recorded in that series, the fun of the offseason can really begin. There hasn't been a lot of news coming out of the Braves camp just yet, but there is some noteworthy news to cover.

Max Fried among Braves finalists for MLBPA Players Choice Awards

Major League Baseball's Player's Association released their list of finalists for the 2024 iteration of the Players Choice Awards on Monday. Three Atlanta Braves players were among the players announced for different honors. These awards are extremely special as they are voted on by the players themselves.

Max Fried was nominated for one of the most significant awards, the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award. According to MLB's press release, this award is given to the player “whose leadership most inspires others to higher levels of achievement.” This award recognizes players representing their peers well on and off the field.

Fried has long been known as Atlanta's MLBPA representative, and he partnered with Tyler Matzek this season to support the Strikeout the Stigma Campaign. This is a partnership with the Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression Foundation to raise awareness for mental health, normalizing conversation around the topic.

Marcell Ozuna and Chris Sale were also nominated for awards. Ozuna is a finalist for the National League's Outstanding Player Award alongside Shohei Ohtani and Francisco Lindor. Atlanta's ace, Chris Sale, was nominated for two awards, including Outstanding Pitcher and Comeback Player of the Year.

Ha-Seong Kim free agency market begins to take shape with Braves as potential landing spot

Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim will be highly sought after ahead of the 2025 season. San Diego does have a mutual option with him worth $7 million so there's a chance he never hits the open market. However, if he does, there will be a lot of teams clamoring for his services.

The Braves will certainly be on that list and are an excellent fit for his services as Orlando Arcia disappointed in 2024. Bleacher Report released a list of their top 10 hitters of this year's free agent class and agreed that Atlanta would be a "fantastic roster fit for him."

Kim experienced a down year for the Padres and missed 41 games due to shoulder issues. He underwent surgery to repair his labrum, which does leave a question mark on when he'd be available next season. There's also the wrinkle of him joining the Boras Agency this season, and Scott Boras is known for being unpopular in player negotiations.

Stat-wise, he only has a .706 career OPS, but he's known as a contact hitter, so it's easy to ignore that number. He's an incredibly reliable defender as he earned a 4 OAA through 121 games this season. Offensively, he excelled in chase % (18.6), whiff % (15.9), K% (16.4), and BB% (12.3).

Atlanta desperately needs a player who doesn't strike out often and gets on base. He provides that without sacrificing defense. However, the Braves landing his services will depend on his contract demands.

Braves' Arizona Fall League prospect update

The Arizona Fall League is underway, and a few Braves prospects participated this year. Drake Baldwin continues to impress as Atlanta's catching prospect, batting .310/.375/.517 across seven games.

Pitcher Adam Maier has struggled a bit despite finishing a solid season with the Rome Emperors in 2024. Maier has appeared in a couple of games for the Peoria Javelinas and is last in ERA with a shocking 16.62 ERA. He has allowed eight earned runs over 4.1 innings, including 12 hits, four walks, and four strikeouts.

Pitching prospects Issac Gallegos and Landon Harper have also been featured in the AFL this year. Gallegos has appeared in three games and struggled with his command. He has a 4.91 ERA over 3.2 innings, seven walks, and seven punchouts.

Harper has appeared in two games for Peoria with a 4.50 ERA, two walks, and seven strikeouts over six innings. Other notable AFL performances include Hayden Harris (3.86 ERA, 2 BB, 9 K) and Luke Waddell (.311 avg, 5 2B, 9 RBI).

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