This will be our 3rd installment in our Braves Top Prospects List. If you’re behind, here are links for the 1st 2 pieces.
Braves Top Prospects, #20: David McCabe, 3B?, 24, AA, 2025
I am definitely the low man here. McCabe is perhaps the best hitter in our system, but I can’t
see him as anything other than a bench bat because he really has no position and scouts tell
me he just can’t hit superior velocity. Of course, some scouts said the same thing about Austin Riley
back in the day (they are not infallible!) but McCabe will need to show me in AA before I believe.
Braves Top Prospects, #19: Mario Baez, SS, Dominican Summer, 2027
A tiny guy with more bat speed than you would expect, the only thing keeping Baez from
ranking far higher on this list is the scouts’ unaminous verdict that he has finished growing and
that he thus has no projection left from a physical standpoint. He does have 4 plus tools – hit,
speed, field and arm – which led to a nice .311/.393/.422 line for the season. The move to the
mainland will tell us more this season.
Braves Top Prospects, #18: Cedric De Grandpre, RHP, 22 A+, 2026
A cold weather arm often has more projection left than does a similar pitcher from warmer
climates. Degrandpre is a Canadian who was taken way over-slot in the 13th round of this year’s
draft. He has a good sinking fastball and a plus slider already and scouts say his change has
great promise. They also think there is another tick or three to come on the fastball as he
matures, so there is a lot here to like. I am likely the high man on this one.
Braves Top Prospects, #17: Didier Fuentes, 18, RHP, A-, 2027
A rail-thin right hander with a whip-like delivery, Fuentes spent most of his 2023 season either
hurt or in extended spring training after a lights-out performance in 2022. After a year that saw
20% of his flyballs leave the yard let’s say he has some things to work on. Still a 95 mph fastball
(although he tended to work 92-93 he had gas in reserve) and a plus slider is a good start to a
big league repertoire and he has plenty of time.
Braves Top Prospects, #16 Blake Burkhalter, RHP, 22, A, 2026
A 2022 2nd round selection, Burkhalter was a college closer who the Braves wanted to convert
to a starter. The experiment is likely over after Tommy John visited just 4 innings into his
professional career. Still a plus fastball, a plus – potentially double plus – cutter and a workable
change will slot into a high leverage relief role if all goes well. This is the A.J. Minter career path.
I have been hoping that Blake will be a RH AJ Minter. In a couple of years, he could be our RH setup guy (replacing either Johnson or Jimenez). If we keep AJ then we won’t need as many high-priced relievers.
As to Ryan’s assertion that we are still in on Cease, I’m hoping that is only if the price comes down. I had suggested trading Elder and AJSS for Cease which might still make sense but not 4 prospects and that was assuming we keep Grissom. With Sale in tow, I’m not sure Cease makes sense any more (unless you assume both Morton and Fried are gone after this year). I’d like to think our depth will save us (AJSS, Waldrep, Anderson, Ynoa, Elder, Schwellenbach, and all the rest).
New thread.