The Braves have yet to agree to a guaranteed major league deal with a free agent, and as Spring Training rapidly approaches, fans are getting anxious.
It’s fair to wonder what the hell Alex Anthopoulos is doing. This offseason, we’ve watched Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and A.J. Minter leave in free agency, Joe Jimenez undergo a surgery that could keep him out the entire 2025 campaign, and learned that Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider would miss a chunk of the season.
That’s a lot of subtractions and no additions. Even if a substantial acquisition comes to fruition, the Braves will have to rely on some unlikely players to break out in 2025.
Jarred Kelenic
As Acuna makes his way back, Kelenic will be given a lengthy runway to prove he can contribute in an everyday role, and it might be his last chance. Even if the Braves add another starting-caliber outfielder, he will at least have an opportunity until Acuna returns.
Kelenic only managed a .231/.286/.393 slash line last season, though he did hit 15 homers. It was a forgettable season for the former top prospect, but the hope is that another year in Atlanta combined with a new hitting coach will benefit the youngster. He’s talented as hell, so there’s still a chance he breaks out for the Braves.
Daysbel Hernández
With the loss of A.J. Minter and Joe Jimenez, opportunities will be abundant for other players. Daysbel Hernandez is a guy the Braves probably could have started using more often last season. The 28-year-old appeared in 16 games, posting a 2.50 ERA, 2.11 FIP, and 13.3 K/9. During his time with the Stripers, which is where he spent most of the 2024 season, he threw 41.2 innings with 52 strikeouts and a 2.59 ERA. The hard-throwing righty will have a chance to establish himself as a staple in Atlanta’s bullpen.
Grant Holmes
The starting rotation is going to be interesting. With Max Fried and Charlie Morton gone, there’s multiple spots up for grabs, and Grant Holmes could be an unlikely hero.
Holmes was unbelievable for the Braves this past season after spending a decade in the minors before making his MLB debut. He recorded a 3.56 ERA, 3.20 FIP, and 9.2 K/9 over 68.1 innings, pitching in a slew of different roles for the club, including as a starter.
After initially being called up to come out of the bullpen, Holmes was thrust into a role in the rotation out of necessity. In seven starts, he had a 4.01 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 40 strikeouts over 33.2 innings, good for 10.7 strikeouts per nine.
It would be a hell of a story if he could become a mainstay on Atlanta’s staff.
Spencer Schwellenbach
Nobody on this list is primed to breakout more than Spencer Schwellenbach. He’s got legit frontline starter potential. The Nebraska product emerged as a potential star in his first big league season, finishing the 2024 campaign with a 3.35 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 5.52 SO/W, and 1.043 WHIP across 21 starts and 123.2 innings in Atlanta.
As I’ve pointed out several times before, how Schwellenbach finished the season is most encouraging and indicative of something bigger on the horizon. In his final 12 starts, he posted a 2.47 ERA, including a 7.0 inning, one-run gem against the Mets in his final appearance.
To make matters even more appealing, Spencer Schwellenbach is a greenhorn. This is a pitcher who has virtually no experience and is pitching at an elite level. He did not pitch in Atlanta’s system the first year and only threw 65 innings in 2023. Schwellenbach then threw just 45 innings in the minors in 2024 before his promotion to the big leagues.
The only thing Braves fans should be worried about is Schwellenbach’s durability. He’s never thrown a full season’s worth of innings, but again, nobody is more likely to emerge as a star than Schwellenbach.
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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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