Similar to the major league club, the Atlanta Braves minor league system had a few particular players whose performance stood out among the rest during the month of August.
A list of players featured heavily by pitchers, here are some of those names, as well as what each did in August. (Prospect rankings mentioned are according to MLB Pipeline)
Drake Baldwin among top performing Atlanta Braves prospects during August
Drake Baldwin, Catcher
August Stats: .333/.408/.460 slash line, .868 OPS, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 1 SB, 5 2B across 22 games
We begin with undoubtedly Atlanta's top-hitting prospect during August in Baldwin, who has been one of the top overall players in the organization since joining Triple-A Gwinnett. Across 22 games during the month with the Stripers, Baldwin slashed .333/.408/.460 with two HR and 24 RBI, while holding a 13:13 K/BB ratio as well.
JR Ritchie, Right-Handed Pitcher
August Stats: 1-2 record, 1.37 ERA, 30:6 K:BB ratio, .179 AVG against across 26.1 IP
Ritchie, the Braves No. 7 prospect, continued to get ramped back up from injury during August, a month in which the right-hander was also promoted from Low-A Augusta to High-A Rome. Between the two, Ritchie made five starts during August, a span in which he owned a 1-2 record with a 1.37 ERA and 30:6 K/BB ratio across 26.1 IP, while also holding opponents to a combined .179 AVG against.
Jhancarlos Lara, Right-Handed Pitcher
August Stats: 1-1 record, 2.08 ERA, 27:18 K:BB ratio, .113 AVG against across 17.1 IP
The Braves No. 14 prospect, Lara had a strong month of August that began with his top performance of the season in which he went six scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts. Over his four starts between High-A Rome and Double-A Mississippi, Lara held a 1-1 record with a 2.08 ERA and 27:18 K/BB ratio across 17.1 IP, while also limiting opponents to a combined .113 AVG against.
Lucas Braun, Right-Handed Pitcher
August Stats: 2-0 record, 2.63 ERA, 43:11 K:BB ratio, .191 AVG against across 37.2 IP
Among the strikeout leaders in Atlanta's minor league system this season, Braun continued to add to that total in August. Across his six starts in Double-A Mississippi, the Braves No. 21 prospect owned a 2-0 record with a 2.63 ERA and 43:11 K/BB ratio over 37.2 IP, while limiting opponents to a .191 AVG against.
Blake Burkhalter, Right-Handed Pitcher
August Stats: 1-1 record, 2.60 ERA, 31:9 K:BB ratio, .225 AVG against across 27.2 IP
Burkhalter, the Braves No. 19 prospect, made five starts with High-A Rome during August. Over that span, the right-hander owned a 1-1 record with a 2.60 ERA and 31:9 K/BB ratio across 27.2 IP, while also owning a combined .225 AVG against.
In conclusion, here are a few other Braves prospects who also deserve mentioning based on their performance during August: RHP Drue Hackenberg, SS Nacho Alvarez Jr., and RHP Adam Maier.