Tomorrow, Braves pitchers and catchers are required to report to Spring Training. Position players will join them in a few days, and on February 22nd, baseball will be played. This continues a series that covers everything Braves fans should be keeping a close eye on this Spring Training. If you missed the first part to this series, follow the link below.
Braves Rotation Battle
Because the Braves opted not to bring in a proven starting pitcher this offseason, at least not yet, it presents a massive opportunity for Grant Holmes, Ian Anderson, and AJ Smith-Shawver. There are two spots open until Spencer Strider returns, and those three are the hands down favorites to win those jobs.
Among them, Grant Holmes feels the closest to a sure thing. After a decade in the minors, he finally received the call from the Braves last season and went on to be a key piece of the bullpen, even starting in seven games. Without Holmes, Atlanta doesn’t make the playoffs last year. He was that pivotal of a piece to the club, posting a 3.56 ERA with a 9.2 K/9 over 68.1 innings. Alex Anthopoulos has brought his name up a lot this offseason, so unless he implodes in Spring Training, expect him to be a part of the Braves starting rotation to begin the season.
After Holmes, Anderson has to be viewed as one of the favorites, given he is out of options. However, he’s not just going to be handed the job. That’s never been how the Braves operate. Anderson hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022 and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023. Last season, he pitched to the tune of a 3.44 ERA over 15 starts across four levels on the farm. It was encouraging to see him back on the mound, and he flashed moments of brilliance, but he will have to show more in Spring Training, or he could be looking for a new home in about a month.
AJ Smith-Shawver could also force the Braves hand with a dominant performance in Spring Training. As far as ceilings go, his is the highest of the three, as he’s still considered by many to be the top prospect in the organization. It does feel like this is a sink-or-swim season for Smith-Shawver. He’s been sitting on the cusp of the majors for a couple of seasons, experiencing a few cups of coffee without much success. Eventually, the Braves need to give him a prolonged look to see if he can handle being a starting pitcher long-term, but because Holmes and Anderson are out of options, they’ll have the upper hand coming out of Spring Training if the competition is close.
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Prediction: Grant Holmes and AJ Smith-Shawver win the final two spots in the Braves rotation
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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