Not many people are high on the Braves farm system right now, but they continue to churn out stars out of nowhere. With recent international restrictions now in the rearview mirror, expect the tone around Atlanta’s prospects to change considerably in the near future. Few organizations have a better eye for talent and not many are better at developing it. It’s why the Braves have been one of the most consistently dominant clubs over the last 35 years.
Over at The Athletic, Braves beat writer David O’Brien recently took a stab at what the future of Atlanta’s team might look in 2027. Some of which I agree with, but there are certainly some flaws in his thinking.
Lineup
C: Drake Baldwin/Sean Murphy
1B: Matt Olson
2B: Ozzie Albies
3B: Austin Riley
SS: Nacho Alvarez Jr.
LF: Jurickson Profar
CF: Michael Harris II
RF: Ronald Acuña Jr.
DH: (Likely an external addition)
Bench: Jarred Kelenic, David McCabe, Christian Cairo
Because the Braves have locked up most of their core through the end of the decade, they don’t have to add a ton of position players, but there are a couple of things I want to point out.
For starters, the Braves aren’t going to keep both Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy on the roster if one of them cannot serve as a permanent DH. There’s just no reason to do that. So, either Baldwin is also the primary designated hitter, which he might be fully capable of, or one of the two will be traded before the 2027 season. You heard it here first.
The other controversial aspect of this projected lineup is Nacho Alvarez taking over as the Braves starting shortstop. I think Alvarez is a fine prospect with a lot of potential, but I’m not convinced he’s good enough defensively to be the long-term answer at the position. The Braves will know a lot more after this season, which will ultimately determine if they have to turn to free agency.
Rotation
RH Spencer Strider
RH Spencer Schwellenbach
RH Drue Hackenberg
RH JR Ritchie
LH Cam Caminiti
This is where I take a lot of issue, but I don’t blame O’Brien because pitching prospects are impossible to predict. The Braves have developed about 100 pitching prospects since the start of their rebuild a decade ago, and only one — yes, one — made it through the other side. His name was Max Fried, who just signed a record-breaking contract with the Yankees.
The Braves rightfully have high hopes for both Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach, who have proven to have frontline starter potential. But after those two, it’s a complete guessing game. I like a lot of the Braves arms on the farm, but I would be shocked if any combination of three of them ended up being permanent members of the rotation in Atlanta.
Closer: RHP Hurston Waldrep
RH Daysbel Hernández
LH Angel Perdomo
RH Owen Murphy
RH Grant Holmes
RH Rolddy Munoz
RH Anderson Pilar
LH Ray Kerr
I credit O’Brien for even attempting to give a glimpse at what the Braves bullpen will look like two years from now, but he would be lucky if he even got three of these guys correct. It’s simply impossible to do. Although, Hurston Waldrep as a closer is an intriguing thing to keep an eye on. His lethal fastball/splitter combination makes him a candidate to be a high leverage reliever if it doesn’t work out as a starting pitcher.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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