The Braves minor league system during the rebuild years featured some of the game’s current top players. Guys like Freddie Freeman in the early 2010s and Ronald Acuna Jr. a few years after that, not to mention countless others. Plenty of articles have been written over the years about the great Braves prospects that have come through. And though the organization is obviously more focused on consistent contention at the MLB level now (and less on hoarding prospects), the Braves farm system is still strong, albeit perhaps maybe not as deep. The problem right now, though, is many of its prospects haven’t played this season because of injury.
Looking at the Braves 2025 prospect list from FanGraphs, there are at least six players from the top-25 that appear to be injured. I say at least because teenage guys like Diego Tornes (no. 5), Jose Perdomo (no. 12) and Raudy Reyes (no. 15) are more likely waiting for the Summer League season to start, and I haven’t found any reports of injury, so we’re assuming these guys are healthy.
It also may be worthwhile to note that pitcher Anderson Pillar, who was the no. 23 prospect in the system by FanGraphs coming into the season, is another name we haven’t seen in 2025, but that’s not due to injury – Atlanta returned the 2024 Rule 5 Draft pick back to Miami prior to the season, where he’s pitched well so far in Triple-A (3.52 ERA / 3.97 FIP).
But as it usually goes, when it begins, the injuries tend to pile up for the Braves. And that appears to be no different even for the minor league system:
No. 3 prospect – Cam Caminiti, LHP: forearm tendinitis
No. 4 prospect – Owen Murphy, RHP: TJ surgery
No. 7 prospect – Nacho Alvarez Jr., 3B: wrist discomfort
No. 18 prospect – Carter Holton, LHP: TJ surgery
No. 19 prospect – Davis Polo, RHP: 60-day IL for “undisclosed injury”
No. 24 prospect – Royber Salinas, RHP: shoulder surgery
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The six guys above are all 40 FV or better prospects, a scouting grade on the 20-80 scale that’s supposed to broadly predict a player’s WAR production during his first several years of service, where 50 represents average.
The first three banged up players are perhaps the most impactful injured prospects for the Braves system. Caminiti was one of the top high school pitching prospects in the 2024 class, and Murphy was exploding onto the scene last season before Tommy John surgery ended his season.
Then there’s Alvarez, a prospect that made his MLB debut last season. The 22-year-old was placed on the 10-day IL during Spring Training of this year, but reports around that time indicated the injury happened as far back as late February. He should be back playing any day now, as the original timeline was a mid-April return. I’m most excited to see Alvarez back, as not only did he crack the majors but he’s also coming off a big 2024 in which he hit 10 homers and stole 26 bases in 112 minor league games.
Outside the top-25 guys, there’s two more Braves prospects currently injured, bringing the total to eight of the organization’s top 40 ranked players by FanGraphs.
Right-handed pitcher Cade Kuehler (no. 29) was the Braves compensation pick last year (because Dansby Swanson rejected their qualifying offer in 2023). Kuehler was a college arm who pitched well in 2023 for Campbell University (2.73 ERA in 73 IP), and continued to have success in his first taste of pro ball at Single-A Augusta last year. But after just one start in High-A Rome, the now 22-year-old was shutdown, receiving Tommy John surgery last July.
Outfielder Luis Guanipa (no. 32) is currently on Single-A Augusta’s 7-day IL with an “undisclosed injury”after playing in just three games with the GreenJackets so far in 2025. Hopefully, the seven-day stint means it’s nothing serious. Guanipa was an international signing in 2023 by the Braves and his 60-grade speed allowed him to tally 20 stolen bases in his first 46 games with the DSL team that year. His first “full” season as a pro in 2024 featured 52 games spread across the DSL, FCL and Augusta, where he didn’t really produce much with the bat (.577 OPS / 8 XBH), but at just 19 years old, this kid has plenty of time to develop.
Overall, the Braves minor league system appears to be in solid shape, despite several of its top prospects on the shelf. It’s still early, but many prospect pitchers are turning in good performances already. And with such a pitcher-heavy system right now, perhaps that’s why injuries seem more prevalent down on the Braves farm. Pitchers tend to get hurt more. It will be interesting to see a few of these guys expected to return in 2025, and hopefully, the organization has better luck in the injury department going forward this season.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
