3 Atlanta Braves prospects land on Fangraphs' list of names to know in 2024

Another day, and more news involving significant Atlanta Braves prospects - this time three that have not been in the limelight yet. Eric Logenhagen and Tess Taruskin over at Fangraphs put together a list of 100 prospects that maybe aren't top 100, but sure as heck are close.

It's been Hurston Waldrep this and A.J. Smith-Shawver that so far this off-season and with good reason, but the trio of Spencer Schwellenbach, Drake Baldwin, and Ignacio "Nacho" Alvarez are three to watch this upcoming season. So, let's talk about each one a little more.

Spencer Schwellenbach

A two-way player at Nebraska, the Braves drafted Spencer in the second round of the 2021 draft and indicated that it was his arm that impressed them the most. They had to play wait-and-see with him as Tommy John surgery was needed and caused Spencer to sit out the 2021 and 2022 seasons. We got our first look at Spencer in 2023 and he put together 16 solid starts, across two levels (A, A+), to the tune of 65 innings with a 2.49 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP.

At 23 years of age, Spencer was a bit older than his competition so a talent of his is expected to play well, but after nearly two years away from pitching in real games it was extremely surprising to see his command play up so well. After being promoted to A+ ball, Spencer's strikeout rate rose from 7.19 to 9.22 and his walk rate decreased from an already impressive 2.63 BB/9 to 0.66 - again, especially impressive for someone who was that far removed from pitching in real games.

Now we enter 2024 where the real fun begins for Spencer. With the injury behind him, it's time for the leash to be dropped and for the Braves to fully push Spencer. I expect that Spencer starts the season in Rome, with a quick promotion should he continue to show the types of numbers they saw from him last year.

With his fastball and slider already plus pitches, if Spencer shows continued improvement on his changeup and more importantly an increase in his durability, fans can expect Spencer to quickly rise on Top 100 lists. This could be a special year for Spencer so make sure to pay attention to his starts this season. Whether he makes it as a starter, or potentially as a high-leverage relief option, there is a lot to like about what he brings to the mound.

Drake Baldwin

Taken in the third round of the 2022 draft, Drake Baldwin was a catcher with good raw power and a decent showing behind the plate. Coming from Missouri State, Drake made his professional debut in 2022 and spent time at the Braves Complex as well as A-ball. While he got off to a slow start in his professional career he still put up an astounding 17.8% walk rate which made him someone to keep an eye on for 2023.

2023 came and went for Drake and it was overall a resounding success. He played across three levels, spending 92 games at A+ ball in Rome where he hit .260/.385/.466 and showed off improved power, to the tune of 14 homers and 54 RBI before being promoted to Double-A Mississippi.

At Double-A, facing much more polished pitchers, Drake still put up a 10.2% walk rate and improved his strikeout rate once again bringing it down to 18.6% while still accumulating a 117 wRC+ and a line of .321/.390/.396. It was also in Mississippi where Drake showed much improvement behind the plate. He showed great confidence in calling games and cemented himself as a catcher with potential plus power which is a potential luxury for Atlanta.

2024 will be a fascinating year for Drake because if he shows continued improvement at the plate while also gaining more confidence behind the plate you have yourself an extremely intriguing catching prospect.

If his strikeout rates hold steady around 18% and his walk rate continues to stay around the 10% range you have yourself a very intriguing backup option for Sean Murphy heading into 2025, or a very interesting prospect that the Braves can utilize in a deadline trade for Alex Anthopoulos.