Fans should keep an eye on this top pitching prospect in spring training

Every spring, Atlanta Braves fans get an opportunity to see some of their top prospects in action. Sometimes it's very limited playing time, but it's great to get a look at the future of the organization. There's plenty to be excited about in Atlanta's prospect pool. With Drake Baldwin's emergence last season, eyes will be on the remaining prospects to see who will catch fire next.

Right-hander Drue Hackenberg has the potential to be the next surprise in 2026. Hackenberg is currently ranked as Atlanta's 10th-best prospect. He has worked his way up since being drafted by the Braves in the second round of the 2023 draft at 59th overall.

Braves fans need to keep an eye on top prospect Drue Hackenberg in spring training

Hackenberg pitched well enough in his first full season in 2024 to reach Triple-A Gwinnett. He was great for the Stripers with a 1.52 ERA over 23.2 innings. However, he did struggle with walks as he issued 15 of them compared to 18 strikeouts. But that's to be expected with young pitchers.

Hackenberg features five-pitches that help him get outs via a mix of strikeouts and ground balls. Unfortunately, 2025 was a season to forget for the righty. He struggled with injuries, and when he pitched, it was very ineffective. He had a combined 6.81 ERA between the FCL Braves and Columbus Clingstones. Over 74 innings, he had a 1.82 WHIP, 54 walks, and 67 strikeouts. Not nearly as good a year as his first full season.

However, Hackenberg will get an opportunity to start fresh in 2026. It would make sense for Atlanta to give him a shot in spring training. They haven't solidified their rotation yet, and he could be a candidate for some spot starts if needed. He'd have to really impress the Braves to start the season in the rotation. But it feels safe to assume Hackenberg will make his MLB debut at some point this season. Expect him to start the season with either Double-A Columbus or Triple-A Gwinnett.

One thing that he has going for himself is that Hackenberg's four-seam fastball tops out around 97 mph, which will play at any level. He pairs this with a power curve that gets swing and miss. Hackenberg also features a very good changeup as well. As long as the Braves see improvement from him this season, there's no reason to believe he doesn't have a chance to be a constant in the rotation one day.