After several years of subpar draft classes, the Atlanta Braves have seemingly found their stride in their more recent MLB draft classes. Eric Hartman was famously a late-round draft steal, first-round pick Tate Southisene has been turning heads, and the Braves have been largely lauded early on for their haul in the 2026 MLB Draft. One of the main products of Atlanta's 2025 draft strategy was over-slot pick Briggs McKenzie, who is getting some very lofty praise right now.
McKenzie was considered one of the most talented high school arms in the 2025 MLB Draft, but many teams were scared off by McKenzie's bonus demands, which he needed to get him to forgo his commitment to LSU. However, the Braves loved his arm, so they cobbled together a $3 million over-slot bonus to convince him to sign, though growing up as an Atlanta fan probably helped. After a VERY promising start to 2026 that saw him promoted twice in short succession, nerve irritation in his throwing elbow ended his season in late June.
However, that would not be the last we saw of McKenzie this year, as he was one of several Braves prospects sent to the Arizona Fall League in order to get extra playing time. After a rocky start due to rust, McKenzie seems to be back on track and drawing some pretty lofty comparisons to Chris Sale. Similarities do exist between Sale and McKenzie at first glance, but the comparison may be creating some unfair expectations regarding McKenzie's fastball velocity.
"Obviously, I don't look like Nolan Ryan out there, but ... that was kind of the mindset I had."#Braves No. 8 prospect Briggs McKenzie is making a big impression as one of the youngest pitchers in the Fall League: https://t.co/MxgYLEWssD pic.twitter.com/fgnTDkuWWj
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 20, 2026
Briggs McKenzie is getting wild comparisons to Chris Sale, but Braves fans should expect him to throw as hard as the ace
The basic comparisons between McKenzie and Sale are pretty easy to make. Both are lefties who throw from a lower arm slot, and both have breaking balls with wicked movement. McKenzie's breaking ball is more of a slurve than Sale's pure slider, but the importance that the pitches have to each of their respective arsenals is very similar. Both pitchers also get at least above-average extension on their pitches thanks to their long frames, although Sale has McKenzie beat by a good four inches in height.
However, that is where the comparisons should end. Both Sale and McKenzie throw four-seam and two-seam fastballs. Where difference exists is in velocity, as Sale routinely hits the mid-to-upper 90s, while McKenzie exists more in the low-to-mid 90s with his heaters. McKenzie may grow into more velo, but both pitches are plenty effective at their current levels.
It can be dangerous to compare young players to superstars, as it ratchets up expectations on prospects before they have even figured out how to function as professionals. Comparisons to Sale might paint an inaccurate picture for some fans, which could prove disappointing, even if McKenzie continues to pitch well.
That said, McKenzie is not shrinking from the comparisons. In fact, he is embracing them right now. He has no delusions about having a long way to go, but McKenzie has been open about the traits he has tried to emulate from legendary pitchers in baseball history, including Sale and Nolan Ryan. Just because he doesn't throw as hard as those guys does not mean he can't learn from them, nor does it mean he can't be successful.
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