Just like I did yesterday for the major-league squad, I will go through the Braves’ top 20 prospects every Friday, discussing who is trending in the right direction and who is in need of a pick me up. Many outlets have the Braves farm system ranked as one of the worst after the Matt Olson trade, but I’m not as down on the group. This system still has a ton of talent, especially at the top.
Who’s Hot
Starting with the Braves’ top prospect, Michael Harris has not disappointed early on in 2022. The jump from High-A to AA can be extremely difficult, but Harris is proving why many believe he can be an All-Star at the major-league level. Through six games, he’s hitting .400 with two triples and an OPS over 1.000.
Another top prospect, Kyle Muller has looked very sharp in his first two starts of the season, posting a 2.79 ERA, but what’s been most impressive has been his control. This is a young man that has averaged five walks per nine innings throughout his minor-league career, and so far, he’s only issued two free passes in 9.2 innings. We should see the lumbering lefty in Atlanta very soon.
After a forgetful 2022, Shewmake is reminding us why he was a first-round pick so far in 2022, hitting .313 with a homer in his first five games.
There is a noticeable trend going on here: the top prospects in Atlanta are all off to splendid starts. In his first five games with Mississippi, the 21-year-old Grissom is hitting .308 with a couple of doubles and five RBIs.
Tarnok may not be in Mississippi for long if he continues to look like he did in his first start, tossing 4.2 innings of scoreless ball and allowing just one hit.
The former first-round pick Shuster also looked very promising in his AA debut, going five innings and allowing just one run with five strikeouts.
Vines was even more dominant than Shuster in his AA debut. Through five innings, he only allowed one run on one hit with six strikeouts.
Who’s Not
I was actually impressed with Davidson’s stuff in his first appearance for the Braves this season, but the results weren’t great, giving up five earned runs over 2.2 innings to a below-average Nationals lineup.
Nobody could touch Diaz last season, but the hype will slow down quickly if he keeps trending in this direction. In his first two appearances for Mississippi in 2022, he’s 0-2, allowing four earned runs over 1.1 innings.
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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