With the 2026 MLB Draft approaching quickly, there are a lot of eyes on the Atlanta Braves to see what strategy they will employ in this year's draft. Thanks to the emergence of Eric Hartman and other prospects, the Braves' farm system is actually getting back to a level of respectability again. With two picks in the first round this year, Atlanta has a chance to not only keep the good times rolling, but to also take their prospect crop to new heights.
Of course, that requires the Braves to get these early picks right. This front office administration led by Alex Anthopoulos has been around long enough that we know their general tendencies pretty well at this point. As to how successful that track record has been lately, that requires a deeper look.
Here are how the Braves' last five first-round picks are looking these days
Importantly, these are not final grades for any of these picks. All five of the Braves' last five first-round picks are still in the organization and are works in progress. As you will see from our grades last year, things can change in a hurry when it comes to prospects, both for the better as well as for the worst. This is a snapshot in time and nothing more.
It is hard to be upset about a draft pick if they make it to the big leagues and are considered to be one of the Braves' best prospects period. Owen Murphy has battled arm injury issues and the start of his time in Triple-A was rocky, but he rebounded to establish himself as a realistic rotation option. His MLB debut was a mess and much of it wasn't his fault, but this pick feels very solid, although it falls short of an A for now, given that he isn't a lock to be a big league contributor yet.
Similar to Murphy, but on a larger scale, JR Ritchie has shown in the minor leagues that he was worthy of a first-round pick, but he probably isn't ready to lock in a big league roster spot. In Ritchie's case, he has a larger sample of MLB service time to look at and there are some command issues that he will have to iron out. However, the fact that he pitched well enough to force his way to the majors makes this pick a good one as well.
Hurston Waldrep was trending towards an A grade last year after his second half breakout. After a VERY uneven start to his pro career, Waldrep starting employing a sinker and used it to great effect when he got another shot in the majors. Unfortunately, needing a clean-up procedure on his elbow to start the 2026 season and a rocky return from the IL has undone a good bit of Waldrep's progress, but this pick is looking better than it did a year ago.
This one is tough. On one hand, Cam Caminiti is on most top-100 prospect lists right now and he is a talented lefty who has three pitches that can at least flash plus in his fastball, slider, and changeup. However, the actual results on the mound from Caminiti have been more inconsistent, and he hasn't shown the ability to miss bats as much as one would hope. Still a strong pick, but Caminiti has a ways to go.
Atlanta finally spent a first-round pick on a position player last year after years of focusing on pitching with infielder Tate Southisene. While Southisene was an under-slot pick, he hasn't been playing like one in 2026, as he laid waste to low-A to start the season. A promotion to high-A has been a challenge for his hit tool so far, but there is a lot to like with Southisene blend of speed and ability to impact the ball. That he is already starting to creep into top-100 lists doesn't hurt his case.
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