Grading the Atlanta Braves last 5 first round MLB draft picks

Draft day is finally upon us and the Atlanta Braves prepare to add another talented player to the organization. The Braves will have the 24th pick in the first round this year and there are a lot of good options for them to consider.

Atlanta has done a great job of finding the right players at the right time. However, this doesn't always work out and can lead to a few stinkers. We look back on the last five years of the MLB Draft and will grade the Braves' decision-making with their previous first-round picks.

Jared Shuster (2020) - Grade: D

Jared Shuster looked like a promising lefty starter for the Atlanta Braves and debuted at the MLB level in 2023. It wasn't a great experience for the organization and the southpaw. Shuster struggled to find consistency as you'd expect from a young prospect. He ended the 2023 season with a 5.81 ERA through 52.2 innings with 26 walks and 30 strikeouts.

His time with Atlanta was extremely short-lived as he was traded to the White Sox ahead of the 2024 season. Shuster along with Michael Soroka, Nicky Lopez, 2019 first-round pick Braden Shewmake, and Riley Gowens were sent to Chicago and received reliever Aaron Bummer in return.

Ryan Cusick (2021) - Grade: C

This was expected to be a great pick for the Atlanta Braves as they drafted a power pitcher with a fastball that touched 100 mph and a power curveball. The team signed him just under slot value and it seemed like things were headed in the right direction. Cusick pitched 16.1 innings for Single-A Augusta and earned a 2.76 ERA with four walks and 34 strikeouts.

However, Cusick was a major part of the trade that brought Matt Olson to Atlanta after Freddie Freeman signed with the Dodgers. That trade also included Christian Pache, Shea Langeliers, and Joey Estes. Ryan hasn't done very well since leaving the Braves. He is currently with Oakland's Double-A affiliate and has a 6.69 ERA over 37.2 innings. He was a valuable asset to get the Braves a talented and powerful first baseman but Atlanta seems to have dodged a bullet.

Owen Murphy (2022) - Grade: B+

Murphy was lauded as one of the best pitching prospects selected by the Braves in 2022. He was a standout in high school as a two-way player and signed under slot value with Atlanta instead of going to play for Notre Dame. Owen pitched in 12 innings after being drafted between the FCL Braves and Augusta GreenJackets. 2023 was his first full season and he looked pretty good with Low-A Augusta and High-A Rome. He was off to a very good start back with Rome at the start of the 2024 season.

Unfortunately, Atlanta's fifth-ranked prospect was shut down after seven starts with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Over 41 innings, Murphy put together a 1.54 ERA, 2.20 FIP, 3.01 xFIP, 38.7% strikeout rate, and 7.7% walk rate. His 31.0% strikeout-to-walk rate was the fifth-best in ALL of minor league baseball at the time of his injury. It's easy to see the Atlanta Braves picked a good one as long as Owen can heal and continue the success he found this year.

JR Ritchie (2022) - Grade: B

Ritchie was selected in the first round after Atlanta picked Owen Murphy. JR was selected in Round A of the Competitive Balance round and signed with the Braves on July 22 after agreeing to a $2.4 million signing bonus, which was slightly above slot value.

Fans didn't get to see much of him before he needed Tommy John surgery after just four starts in 2023. He made his long-awaited 2024 debut in June and he's shown a lot of potential. Ritchie pitched in three games with the FCL Braves and has since moved to Low-A Augusta. His debut with Augusta was impressive with five scoreless and hitless innings. His fastball looks good sitting in the low to mid-90s and his breaking pitches have a nice bite. He is currently ranked as Atlanta's fourth-best prospect.

Hurston Waldrep (2023) - Grade: A-

This is the Braves prospect fans will likely be most familiar with. Hurston Waldrep was impressive for the University of Florida before Atlanta drafted him. He is known for having an incredible splitter that drops off the table as well as a fastball that can sit in the high 90s consistently. The main concern was with his command and that is still something he needs to work on.

However, Waldrep has shown some improvement in 2024 and even made his MLB debut with the Braves in June. Unfortunately, his two starts did not go well and he amassed a 16.71 ERA through seven innings. The team planned to option him back to Triple-A but after his start against the Rays, Waldrep landed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation. He's Atlanta's second-best prospect and it's easy to see why the Braves selected him in the first round. When he figures the command thing out, he's going to be a problem for the entire league.

As you see, first round draft picks aren't always guaranteed to pan out the way an organization hopes they will. However, there are also gems to be found and the Braves are good at finding them. 2024 promises to be another exciting draft for Atlanta.

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