A week or two ago, any Braves fan who keeps up with the farm system would laugh in your face for suggesting this. Despite struggling mightily with the bat in AA, the Braves gave AJax a promotion to AAA anyway. He has only played 15 games and it is a tiny sample size, but he has looked like a different guy in Gwinnett. It is a big if, but if Jackson can keep up this type of production throughout August, he could get a crack in September. The Braves are getting stagnant production behind the plate from two guys in contract years.
Peterson’s first stint in the big leagues was short-lived, and there is probably something to be said of the fact that he has not gotten a crack at left field with all the time Ronald Acuna Jr. missed. However, Charlie Culberson and Preston Tucker also stepped up in a major way. If the Braves want to see if they can ever really get anything out of Peterson, September is the time. It does not hurt to have one more bat on the bench.
Austin Riley is the type of impact bat you can call up and could morph the entire Braves lineup. However, he has struggled mightily since returning from injury and still has a bit to prove in AAA. My money is on him getting a crack. The Braves could use another power bat in the lineup.
A couple bullpen armsÂ
The bullpen has been way better since the trade deadline. However, it is a long season, and the Braves will certainly bring in a couple bullpen arms in September. Wes Parsons and Chad Sobotka should get a crack. Parsons has been great starting this year but is overshadowed by the ridiculous starting five for the Stripers (more on them later) and needs a new role. Sobotka has held opposing hitters to a ridiculous .156 opposing batting average across three levels this season, dominating at every level.
Literally any starter for the Stripers
The Braves AAA rotation consists of five top 100 prospects, which is absolutely absurd. There have been whispers of Touki Toussaint joining the team in a bullpen role, but that was before he started dominating AAA hitters and now perhaps the team would want him to make a start or two. Kolby Allard already got his first crack, and while he showed promise, he also showed he could use more development time too. He could make another spot start before season’s end. Luiz Gohara has been up and down, literally and figuratively this season. We all know we could see him again as soon as he heats up, but Gohara may just need this tough year to come to an end. Bryse Wilson and Kyle Wright are also top arms who could get a start, but just got promoted to AAA. It really could end up just coming down to what day of the week the Braves need a spot starter. Oh yea, and they have Max Fried too and Mike Soroka potentially coming back from injury. I would say it is inevitable the Braves move some starting pitching this winter with a logjam like this.