The Arizona Fall League is full of future stars of the sport, but you'll be hard pressed to find a player receiving more hype than the Atlanta Braves' No. 3 prospect Tate Southisene. The 2025 first round pick is generating rave reviews as he churns out nightly highlights for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Southisene is now ranked the No. 58 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline, and it's hard to find a flaw in his game.
Coaches in the AFL agree, with Glendale coach Philip Caulfield stating, "His instincts are very, very good. There's some things that he does at such a young age that you watch and it's hard to go out and teach those intangibles." Whether it's coaches or his teammates, praise for Southisene is pouring in.
Desert Dogs teammate and Braves No. 29 prospect Isaiah Drake described Southisene as a player who can do everything. Part of that description stems from the reports about Southisene's versatility in the field. Drafted as a shortstop, Southisene has the athleticism to play just about anywhere on the diamond. And with an obvious hole in the infield potentially opening up in 2028, we can't help but wonder if the Braves already have an idea where Southisene can help them long-term.
THE TIP ... THE DIVE ... THE CATCH!@Braves' No. 3 prospect Tate Southisene makes an acrobatic grab in the @MLBazFallLeague. pic.twitter.com/H3eqgXvlO0
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 4, 2026
Tate Southisene being the Braves second baseman of the future looks more likely by the day
Make no mistake, Ozzie Albies is a beloved figure in Atlanta, but his decline over the past few years is hard to ignore. Atlanta enters next season with just one more guaranteed year of Albies, who will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2027 season. Should the Braves move on from Albies, Southisene stands out as one of the most exciting internal options to take over for him.
Southisene played his way to Double-A Columbus in 2026 before an unfortunate hit-by-pitch cut his season short. Now that Southisene is showcasing a full recovery with his strong AFL performance, the expectation is that he will begin the 2027 season in Columbus. If he continues to play well next season, it will be hard to keep him down much longer.
The jump to the upper levels of the minor leagues is the first big test for many prospects, but Southisene has already shown an ability to play well in scenarios where he is supposed to be outmatched. The future is very bright for Southisene in Atlanta, and once you start projecting future big league rosters, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Southisene is not helping the Braves in some capacity.
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