While the postseason continues to rage on and the Atlanta Braves' rivals eat each other, prospects from around the league have reported to the Arizona Fall League to show their skills and, more importantly, get some extra playing time which is very often the reason guys participate at all. The Braves sent a pretty interesting group this year including Nacho Alvarez Jr. who played 58 games in the big leagues, but who also missed a large chunk of the season due to a couple of injuries.
Beyond Alvarez, Atlanta is also sending former second draft pick RHP Drue Hackenberg from among their higher ranked prospects. Hackenberg has intriguing stuff when he is on, but he only made 21 starts in 2025 and his command of the strike zone...left a lot to be desired.
However, it is neither Alvarez nor Hackenberg that is getting attention early down in the AFL. Instead, it is 2024 third round pick Luke Sinnard that is getting noticed not only due to his size and stuff, but also because of his path to becoming a professional pitcher after an unfortunate injury as an amateur.
Braves prospect Luke Sinnard looking to break out in Arizona Fall League after promising debut season
At a listed 6'8 and 250 pounds, Sinnard certainly garners a fair bit of notice for his frame. While he looks like a power pitcher, Sinnard actually relies on a high spin fastball that generally lives in the 93-95 mph range as well as a pair of breaking balls that give hitters different looks and disrupt their timing.
However, what got Sinnard sent to the AFL is that his recovery from Tommy John surgery during his draft year hasn't exactly been linear. Sinnard was really good across low-A and high-A in 2025 with a 2.86 combined ERA, he was only able to make 16 starts because his elbow flared up and caused him to sit out for a month and a half. All signs are that Sinnard is healthy now and with a strong AFL, he could start to rocket up the Braves' minor league rankings.
As a college arm picked in the third round, Sinnard is a prime candidate to get put on the fast track to the major leagues by the Braves. That isn't likely to immediately happen unless Sinnard shows out in the AFL, but he does have the kind of stuff that could dominate down in Arizona. Assuming that happens, don't be surprised if Atlanta challenges Sinnard with promotions in 2026. With the Braves' need for starting pitching depth, Sinnard could play himself into an opportunity sooner rather than later if all goes to plan and he stays healthy.