Spring training has been going pretty well for the Atlanta Braves thus far. Things are progressing the way they should, and fans are getting very excited for the 2026 season. Some Braves prospects have been getting a lot of attention this spring. One of those is JR Ritchie, who could find himself in the rotation at some point. However, on the offensive side of the ball, shortstop John Gil has been turning heads.
Gil was signed during the 2023 international signing period at $110,000. He has some impressive tools on the field, including great speed on the basepaths. Last season, he played across three levels, including rookie ball, Low-A, and Double-A. Now, he is starting to get on the radar of those who are following Braves spring training.
Braves shortstop prospect John Gil continues to generate buzz down at spring training this year
The youngster stole 54 bases in 2025, and has impressed by not chasing a lot and getting on base. There is hope he will eventually make more impact offensively as he gets stronger and more experienced. Gil could be an extremely valuable weapon for the Braves at some point. He's only 19 years old, so that may take some time, but he's garnered some real attention at spring camp.
John Gil hits the first of three consecutive homers for the Braves. Cal Conley and Chadwick Tromp followed with solo shots pic.twitter.com/IJL0DGVX2O
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) February 28, 2026
Most recently, Gil kicked off a trio of homers during a spring game against the Orioles. He laced a line drive homer to left field, and was followed by solo shots by Cal Conley and Chadwick Tromp. Gil has also shown some nice range at shortstop and seems like he has a chance to remain at the position. Atlanta's organization is full of talented shortstops at the moment.
So far, he's slugged a homer and walked a couple of times over seven games played this spring. It's a very small sample size, but it is easy to see why the Braves are so high on Gil. He should get a long look at Double-A this year to see how he can handle a full season against better pitching. Gil will also need to prove he can hang at shortstop, as he has a lot of competition within the organization.