4 Braves prospects we are glad Atlanta held on to at the trade deadline

The Atlanta Braves were in the enviable position at the trade deadline to not HAVE to do much. Sure, the rotation seems a bit messy right now, but with Max Fried finally returning from the injured list and Kyle Wright (hopefully) not too far behind him, the Braves felt comfortable with who they had in the organization on both sides of the ball and it is hard to blame them for thinking that.

Now sure, it would have been fun if the Braves had gone wild like the Rangers and Angels and traded for a bunch of guys. However, the reality is that this trade deadline kinda stunk. There were some talented guys like Lucas Giolito, Jordan Montgomery, and the two senior citizens the Mets traded away available, but the prices for a lot of those guys were pretty absurd given how much demand was outpacing supply at the deadline (plus any trade with the Mets was probably never going to happen).

In the end, only time will tell if Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves were correct to simply add some bullpen depth and call it a day. However, the good news is that the lack of moves did mean that the Braves did hang on to a few prospects that we are glad are sticking around.

Here are 4 prospects we are glad the Braves didn't trade at the trade deadline

Just like it should be the case with any prospect, every player has a price. This is not a list of Braves prospects that are untouchable. If the right opportunity presented itself this coming offseason for a player that would help the Braves in 2024 and beyond, all of these guys should be on the table. However, the following four prospects have the kind of upside and intrigue that could really help the Braves down the road under the right conditions. Nothing is certain with any of them, but they are all at least fun guys to keep an eye on.

Let's take a look at four Braves prospects that are sticking around for at least a little while longer.

Cody Milligan

If Cody Milligan hadn't gotten hurt earlier in the season and missed a big chunk of time, it is highly likely that he would have already been promoted to Triple-A. First is his defensive versatility as he can play all three outfield positions well and has seen significant time at second base in the minor leagues as well. In a pinch, he could probably be an emergency catcher as he played there in college. Milligan can run a bit as well with 21 steals in 2022 and 11 in just 36 games this season.

However, the thing to love the most about Milligan is his bat. This guy can flat out hit and as an added bonus, his approach at the plate leads to a lot of walks as well. Milligan is just one of those guys that keeps innings going and keeps an offense churning along. Sure, he doesn't hit for much power to speak of, but he isn't out there feasting on bloop singles against bad defenders. There are a lot of hard hit balls coming off his bat and he does it to all fields. Do not be surprised if Milligan's name starts popping up next spring if the Braves go into 2024 with a left field situation that is not settled

Ignacio "Nacho" Alvarez

Speaking of guys that can flat out hit but have questionable in-game power, Nacho Alvarez has been one of the few true highlights offensively down in the Braves' farm system in 2023. Alvarez's advanced approach often leads to a lot of walks and him poking the ball the other way, but there is some pop in his bat when he decides to turn on a pitch. His bat to ball skills are probably the best of any Braves prospect and his .291/.402/.407 slash line points to a promotion to Double-A in the not too distant future.

If Nacho were hitting for more power, he would have an argument as a top 100 prospect as the hit tool is there and he can play shortstop or third base quite well. Fortunately, there has been good news lately on that front as he just put up his best month as a pro in July with a .291/.384/.547 slash line with four homers. If Nacho can keep that up, he is going to start getting a lot more attention here soon.