With their second pick in the first round of the draft (21st overall), the Braves selected Braden Shewmake – a shortstop out of Texas A&M. He is believed to have the ability to play all over the infield as he moves up the ranks of the minors, but it’s his hit-tool that landed him in the first round.
In three years with the Aggies, Shewmake hit .322 with a .488 slugging percentage, and he’s picked up right where he left off in Rome. The lefty bat is slashing a silly .417/.474/.648 in 17 games for the Braves with ten doubles, a triple, and a home run, accumulating 19 hits over his last ten contests.
After the Braves took Shewmake, Atlanta’s VP of Scouting, Dana Brown, spoke on the upside he posesses:
"It's a nice package of upside, athleticism and power coming down the road for this young man."
— @Braves VP of scouting Dana Brown on 21st overall pick Braden Shewmake. pic.twitter.com/9T6z5v9dsc
— FOX Sports: Braves (@FOXSportsBraves) June 4, 2019
The Braves believe both Shewmake and their other first-round selection, Shea Langeliers, can bust through the levels of the minor leagues rather quickly. Langeliers hasn’t gotten off to the same scorching start in the batter’s box, but his 70-grade defense behind the plate is what made him a top-ten pick. The former Baylor catcher is hitting .213 with one home run in 12 games for Rome.
One thing to keep an eye on with Shewmake is his power. He had eleven home runs as a freshman but was not able to build on that number as a sophomore and junior, where he combined for eleven. The Braves believe his Cody Bellinger like frame can develop some more pop behind it as he grows, and if that happens, Shewmake could be yet another scary prospect in Atlanta’s farm system.