Tuesday is the long-awaited minor league Opening Day. Delayed by a mere 13 months, the last time Braves minor leaguers took the field in game action, Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann hit home runs for the big league Braves against the Nationals, helping starting pitcher Julio Teheran with the victory.
The organization has just released the Opening Day rosters for the four full-season affiliates. Here’s my quick thoughts on them.
AAA Gwinnett Stripers
IF: Orlando Arcia, Johan Camargo, Ryan Goins, Yolmer Sanchez, Travis Snider, Riley Unroe
OF: Abraham Almonte, Jaycob Brugman, Travis Demeritte, Phil Ervin, Terrance Gore, Drew Waters
C: Ryan Casteel, Carlos Martinez, Jonathan Morales
SP: Tucker Davidson, Jasseel De La Cruz, Kyle Muller, Bryse Wilson, Kyle Wright
RP: Victor Arano, Chasen Bradford, Thomas Burrows, Jesse Chavez, Carl Edwards Jr, Daysbel Hernandez, Mitch Horacek, Connor Johnstone, Nate Jones, Trevor Kelley, Dylan Lee
As expected, this is a veteran-laden position player squad that should win a lot of games. It features a top-flight defensive shortstop in Arcia, who was the starter for the Milwaukee Brewers the last four seasons, and a former Gold Glove infielder in Yolmer Sanchez. If you are a prospect-watcher, there’s not much going on here but if you are looking to to the ballpark and pull for a Stripers win, you should most often leave the ballpark satisfied.
The exception to this rule will be OFR #3 prospect Drew Waters, who will have a chance to show the swing changes he’s been working on to reduce his strikeouts while hopefully maintaining the aggressiveness that made him one of the best hitters in the Southern League in 2019.
Johan Camargo is currently on the squad and Sean Kazmar Jr. is in Atlanta, but that position will likely swap out several times over the course of the season, perhaps along with Orlando Arcia. All three are on the 40-man roster and have an option for 2021.
The starting rotation will be a different story, with three of the top 5 starting pitching prospects in the organization toeing the rubber in Muller, Davidson, and De La Cruz. They will be joined by young veterans Bryse Wilson and Kyle Wright, though either of them could be called to the majors at a moment’s notice. When he’s ready for rehab starts, fans could also see Mike Soroka in some games in late May or early June. With all minor league schedules this year consisting of six-game series followed by one off-day, most teams will likely go to six-man rotations. The sixth starter could be major league veteran Jose Rodriguez or minor league vet Emmanuel Ramirez.
Daysbel Hernandez is the most interesting arm in the bullpen as he gets the double-bump from high-A after a strong winter ball season followed by a good spring training. Thomas Burrows will try to make a case to be part of Atlanta’s crowded left-handed relief picture.
AA Mississippi Braves
IF: CJ Alexander, Greyson Jenista, Jalen Miller, Wendell Rijo, Braden Shewmake
OF: Justin Dean, Trey Harris, Tyler Neslony, Jacob Pearson, Jefrey Ramos
C: Hendrik Clementina, Shea Langeliers, Drew Lugbauer
SP: Hayden Deal, Odalvi Javier, Nolan Kingham, Mitch Stallings, Victor Vodnik
RP: Troy Bacon, Josh Graham, Jake Higginbotham, Matt Hartman, Kurt Hoekstra, Sean McLaughlin, Luis Mora, Brandon White, Brooks Wilson, Matt Withrow
This is a loaded roster full of talent in the field and on the mound. The marquee names will be both of the 2019 first-round picks, catcher Shea Langeliers and shortstop Braden Shewmake, but they’re not the only ones worth the price of admisssion. Outfielder Trey Harris showed out in major league camp and could a be a quick mover up to Gwinnett with a strong start. Justin Dean lead the South Atlantic League in stolen bases in 2019 and will be needed to cover ground in center.
Maybe my biggest sleeper prediction is that second baseman Jalen Miller has a breakthrough season coming over from the Giants organization. He’ll join Shewmake in the middle infield with Alexander and Jenista on the corners — two power prospects with a lot to prove this season.
Victor Vodnik will get a shot in the rotation after a 2019 season spent mostly in the Rome bullpen. He’ll be joined by high-A Florida standouts Hayden Deal, Nolan Kingham, and Odalvi Javier. Mitch Stallings, the former Duke starter, gets the double-bump from low-A Rome along with Vodnik.
The bullpen looks extremely stout, starting with long-relievers Matt Hartman, Matt Withrow, and Brooks Wilson. Higginbotham is a high-upside southpaw, and White, Hoesktra, and Bacon are high-leverage options.
A+ Rome Braves
IF: Bryce Ball, Riley Delgado, Kevin Josephina, Brett Langhorne, Cody Milligan, Beau Philip, Garrett Saunders
OF: Jose Bermudez, Jesse Franklin, Michael Harris, Shean Michel, Andrew Moritz
C: Logan Brown, Rusber Estrada
SP: Ricky DeVito, Bryce Elder, Tanner Gordon, AJ Puckett, Jared Shuster
RP: Marrick Crouse, Zach Daniels, Indigo Diaz, Coleman Huntley, Kasey Kalich, Tanner Lawson, Gabriel Noguera, Alan Rangel, Trey Riley, Lisandro Santos, Davis Schwab
The two prospects with perhaps the most buzz right now are outfielder Michael Harris and first baseman Bryce Ball, and both will start the season for the now high-A Rome Braves. They will anchor an otherwise thin offense. 2020 draftee Jesse Franklin will likely be in right field and has an interest set of skills; he will be thrown into the fire by making his pro debut at this level. Catcher Logan Brown is a good defender and a solid offensive threat. Beau Philip is a defensive standout at shortstop, and he will look to rebound from hamstring issues and a slow start at Danville in 2019. Andrew Moritz is a singles machine and will likely bat lead-off.
The rotation is talented if untested, headed by 2020 first and fifth-rounders Jared Shuster and Bryce Elder making their pro debuts. Ricky DeVito is a break-out candidate this year while AJ Puckett will try to start a comeback after three injury-plagued seasons in the White Sox organization.
Kasey Kalich is the arm to watch in the bullpen. Trey Riley had monumental control problems in 2019, but he also has some of the best stuff in the organization so he will be watched keenly to see how he’s progressed during the shutdown.
A Augusta Greenjackets
IF: Cody Birdsong, Cade Bunnell, Vaughn Grissom, Bryson Horne, Cam Shepherd, Braulio Vasquez
OF: Drew Campbell, Willie Carter, Stephen Paolini, Brandon Parker, Landon Stephens
C: Ricardo Rodriguez, Javier Valdes
SP: James Acuna, Alec Barger, Joey Estes, Roddery Munoz, Tyler Owens, Darius Vines
RP: Chad Bryant, Brent Burgess, Benjamin Dum, Alger Hodgson, Estarlin Rodriguez, Zach Seipel, Ben Thompson, Kenny Wells, Peyton Williams, Justin Yeager
I hate focus on the negative from the start, but my first thought is about who didn’t make the roster. First baseman Mahki Backstrom, right-hander Jared Johnson, and outfielder Kadon Morton were some young players I was hoping would make the roster, but they will remain in extended spring training for now.
That doesn’t mean of course there aren’t interesting prospects to see for Augusta’s first Opening Day as a Braves affiliate. Vaughn Grissom is the name to watch here, and he will likely be the third baseman with former University of Georgia standout Cam Shepherd at shortstop. Vasquez would seem to be the likely second baseman with non-drafted slugger Bryson Horne at first base.
The outfield also features another interesting young talent in Stephen Paolini, who will play center likely flanked by a rotation of Campbell, Carter, Parker, and Stephens, with one of that group likely the designated hitter on any given night.
I will admit I am only guessing at what will likely be the starting rotation. The prospect name here is Ocala, Florida native Tyler Owens, but there’s some other high-upside arms in left-hander Joey Estes and 2020 DSL star Roddery Munoz. Acuna, Barger, and Vines are college pitchers from the 2019 draft with their own points of interest — Acuna is coming off Tommy John surgery, Barger was one of the hardest throwers among starters in the Appalachian League in 2019, and Vines with a plus curveball.
The bullpen names won’t likely ring a lot of bells, but there’s upside there as well. Bryant, Thompson, Williams, and Yeager are potential high-leverage arms.
Overall what stands out about the Augusta roster is the shear amount of raw talent that we just don’t know how will play thanks to the lost year.
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