The Atlanta Braves farm system has been weak for some number of years due to graduations and blockbuster trades, but it’s beginning to replenish itself, especially at the higher levels.
Much of the talk has surrounded Nacho Alvarez and Drake Baldwin. The former of which will receive the call in Ozzie Albies’ absence to play second base. The latter starred for the Braves in the Futures Game, hitting a monster opposite field shot. Both look like key pieces of the future in Atlanta, and the Braves also have some arms working their way up the ranks.
Drue Hackenberg, in particular, is a name to keep an eye. Yesterday, he set an MiLB season record for strikeouts with 16 of them, and he did it in just seven innings.
Drue Hackenberg takes it to another level for the Double-A @mbraves 🔥
7 IP
3 H
1 R
0 BB
16 KThe @Braves' No. 9 prospect sets an MiLB single-game strikeout record for 2024: pic.twitter.com/hceI9IU9ry
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 21, 2024
Hackenberg, the younger brother of former NFL quarterback Christian Hackenberg, was taken in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft. He began the season in High-A Rome, where he posted a 3.64 ERA over 12 starts. Around a month ago, he received a promotion to Mississippi, where he has a 3.43 ERA and 33 strikeouts over his first four starts, spanning 21.0 innings.
It’s a promising start to Hackenberg’s professional career. With the way the Braves have been aggressive in the past promoting their young players, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him knocking on the door of AAA Gwinnett by season’s end.
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Photographer: Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire
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