The offseason is just beginning, and the Braves have several critical holes to address. The most likely place to find those answers is in free agency, but if Alex Anthopoulos needs to find more cost-efficient options, his best bet is via trade. The Braves are consistently near the bottom of farm system rankings, given how much talent has graduated in recent years, but they still have several pieces that could intrigue other organizations.
5. Mike Soroka
I’m not quite sure what Soroka would fetch in a trade. He hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since 2020, but I’m positive there would be some level of interest from other teams willing to take a flier on an All-Star caliber player like Soroka. The Maple Maddux will no longer be the centerpiece of a blockbuster deal, but he could be used to help get a contract like Marcell Ozuna off the books for good.
4. Bryce Elder
Bryce Elder had an extremely productive season in 2022. In 10 appearances (nine starts) with the Braves, he posted a 3.17 ERA and accrued 1.0 WAR. Elder likely will never be a frontline guy, but he is a more than capable option to round out a rotation. Given how many starting pitchers the Braves already have, moving him could be in the cards. I would be willing to bet at least one pitcher on this list is traded before the start of the season.
3. Kyle Muller
According to most, Muller is the Braves top prospect. Control has held him back a bit, but it’s just a matter of time before he’s a staple in Atlanta. Muller was named to the International League All-Star team after posting a 3.41 ERA and 10.6 K/9 for the Stripers. If the Braves make a splash via trade this offseason, you have to think Muller will be included.
2. Justyn-Henry Malloy
Malloy is my top prospect in the Braves system, and the consensus is he’s the best position player currently in the minor leagues for the organization. Because of Atlanta’s lack of depth when it comes to position players in their farm system, parting ways with Malloy will sting much more. However, if the right deal comes along, he’s not untouchable.
1. Ian Anderson
I’m not quite sure how outside teams view Anderson, but I think he’s a pivotal piece to this organization. We’re talking about a guy who was the third-best pitcher on a team that won the World Series in 2021. Anderson has also been absolutely unhittable in the postseason, but 2022 was a massive disappointment. After posting an even 5.00 ERA over 22 starts, the Braves moved him to Gwinnett, where he wasn’t much better. Anderson was eventually shut down for the season with an arm injury, serving as the icing on the cake to a forgetful year. That’s not typically when you want to trade a player, but I still think there would be a lot of teams interested in buying low on Anderson. It wasn’t long ago that we were talking about this guy as a potential frontline option.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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