Atlanta Braves: 5 prospects who are enjoying breakout 2023 seasons
Now a little over two months into the 2023 minor league baseball campaign, let's take a look down on the farm at five Atlanta Braves' prospects who are well on their way to a breakout season. (Rankings according to MLB Pipeline)
5 Atlanta Braves' prospects who are enjoying breakout 2023 seasons
RHP AJ Smith-Shawver
We begin here with one of the more obvious selections to this list in Smith-Shawver, the Braves No. 4 prospect, whom the club recently called up to the big leagues for his MLB debut. After posting a 5.11 ERA last season across 68.2 IP with Low-A Augusta, the right-hander has quickly risen from High-A to the major leagues across seven starts this season, owning a combined 1.09 ERA and 45:12 K:BB ratio across 33 IP, while also holding opponents to a combined .164 AVG against.
RHP Spencer Schwellenbach
The Braves No. 7 prospect, Schwellenbach is another right-handed pitcher who is enjoying a strong start so far toward a potential breakout 2023 season. A year that has included his professional debut, the Braves 2021 second round pick has made nine starts so far this season with Low-A Augusta, owning a 1.53 ERA and 24:10 K:BB ratio across 29.1 IP, as well as holding opponents to a combined .226 AVG against.
RHP Seth Keller
Yet another right-hander enjoying a potential breakout season is Keller, the Braves sixth round pick from the 2022 MLB Draft. Currently ranked as the club's No. 20 prospect, Keller saw limited action a year ago, and currently owns a 1.17 ERA and 22:3 K:BB ratio across 23 IP with Low-A Augusta while being used primarily as a reliever, holding opponents to a combined .179 AVG against. Unfortunately, he did just hit the injured list on 5/23 so hopefully it isn't anything too serious.
C Drake Baldwin
The first non-pitcher on this list is Baldwin, the Braves No. 23 prospect whom Atlanta selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft. After posting a .711 OPS across 24 games in limited action a year ago, the catcher has enjoyed a solid start to the 2023 season slashing .233/.371/.442 with seven HR and 26 RBI across 35 games in High-A Rome.
3B David McCabe
We conclude here with another 2022 draft pick in McCabe, the club's No. 24 prospect, whom Atlanta selected in the fourth round. After hitting .245 in 28 games last season, the third baseman is currently slashing .273/.384/.487 with eight HR and 25 RBI across 44 games combined between Low-A and High-A. For a system that is definitely light on power hitters, it does seem pretty clear that McCabe stands out in the crowd with his raw pop at the moment.