As we’ve seen over the last several weeks, the Braves farm system isn’t in as bad of shape as many think, particularly when it comes to pitching. Alex Anthopoulos and company put their focus on high-powered collegiate arms during the 2023 MLB Draft, and the early returns provide a glimmer of hope. However, there are also a few under-the-radar names that haven’t been brought up much this season, one being Jhancarlos Lara.
Last night, the 20-year-old Dominican tossed 4.2 innings, allowing just two earned runs and striking out 12 batters for High-A Rome.
12 Ks performance for Jhancarlos Lara in 4.2 IP
Last 5 outings:
26.1 IP, 44 Ks and 1.72 ERA
2023 season (Two levels):
81.1 IP
114 Ks pic.twitter.com/UVlHJws3gH— Luis Santos-Bejarán (@Lmbejaran) September 8, 2023
This was just Lara’s second start with the Rome Braves, as he began the year with the Augusta Green Jackets. His ERA numbers for the season leave a lot to be desired, but he really turned it on over the final couple of months, posting an ERA of 1.72 over his last five starts.
Lara was an international signing in the 2021 class that went under the radar. He doesn’t appear on many prospect lists, and admittedly, I hadn’t heard much about him until recently. Prior to August, there wasn’t much reason to; however, he’s now making some real loud noise, and in a weak farm system, it’s only a matter of time before he cracks the Braves top 30 prospects across the board.
He features a heater that can reach the high-90s with a slider and changeup that are also thrown in the high-80s. That’s the definition of a power pitcher, which is why he’s struck out 114 batters in just 81.1 innings this season. With the success the Braves have had at developing young arms, Jhancarlos Lara is a guy to keep an eye on next season as he turns just 21 years old.
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Photo: Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire
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