Whether it’s a top prospect bursting up the ranks to stardom or a relatively unknown journeyman finally figuring it out at the next level, the Braves have had no shortage of surprising breakouts over their current run of seven consecutive postseason appearances. It’s why they’ve been able to sustain such a high level of success despite letting franchise cornerstones like Freddie Freeman, Max Fried, Dansby Swanson, and others walk out the door for nothing in free agency.

This year will be no different. Somebody, possibly more than one player, who has yet to make a significant impact at the major-league level is going to step up out of nowhere and provide a massive boost.

1. Drake Baldwin

Ask this question to 30 executives around the league, and you’ll probably get 30 that say Drake Baldwin. The 24-year-old catcher has emerged as the Braves top prospect after an eye-popping 2023 campaign, and that success offensively continued through the offseason in the Arizona Fall League and into Spring Training, where he’s currently sporting a .994 OPS.

There’s really nothing to nitpick about his ability with the stick, especially for a catcher. Baldwin has power to all fields, is willing to take his walks and doesn’t strike out much. The only question entering the season is how many opportunities would he get at the major-league level, but now the path is clear for him to begin the season in Atlanta, with Sean Murphy expected to miss some time after suffering a cracked rib. Who knows what will happen when Murphy is cleared to return, but Drake Baldwin can really force the Braves’ hand if he starts the year on fire.

2. AJ Smith-Shawver

Another Braves top prospect, prospect fatigue has hit AJ Smith-Shawver hard. He made his MLB debut in 2023 but hasn’t really had much of an impact over the last two seasons. However, it’s important to remember that he’s still just 22-years-old and didn’t start focusing on baseball full-time until he was drafted. When Smith-Shawver was coming out of high school, he was also highly recruited on the football field. He was viewed as a high upside project; that project just came together much faster than anybody anticipated. With Ian Anderson‘s future in Atlanta murky, this could finally be the season AJ Smith-Shawver gets an extended look with the Braves.

3. Jarred Kelenic

Everybody’s favorite breakout candidate this time last year, Jarred Kelenic mostly disappointed in his first season with the Braves, ultimately losing his starting job to Ramon Laureano. The same inconsistencies that plagued him in Seattle followed him to Atlanta, and it’s fair to wonder what his future looks like at the major-league level, especially with the Braves, who have a full outfield once Ronald Acuña Jr. returns from injury.

But this is why baseball is unlike any other sport. It might take an ultra-talented player 5-10 years to figure it out, but once they do, something special could be around the corner. Kelenic was the 6th overall pick in 2018 out of high school for a reason. He’s still just 25 years old, the tools are apparent, and he’s going to have the opportunity to play a lot over the first two months of the season. Perhaps he could do enough to make the Braves reconsider their outfield plans moving forward.

4. Grant Holmes

One might say Grant Holmes broke out last year, going from a career minor-leaguer to starting a win-or-go-home game for the Braves on the last day of the regular season. However, he’s making the transition to a full-time starter this season, and the stuff is good enough to where he might end up being much more than just a back-of-the-rotation guy. Holmes has plenty of swing-and-miss in his repertoire and walked just two batters per nine innings last season. If he can replicate that, he’s going to be really impressive for the Braves this season.

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Photographer: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire