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As MLB’s lockout of the players is close to finishing out its third month, minor league players are reporting to spring training sites. This will be the third aberrant spring in a row after 2020 was called off mid-stream due to the pandemic, the 2021 spring started a month late, and now 2022 starting without any players on the 40-man roster. Depending on how long the lockout continues, this could end up having a detrimental effect on prospects in that category. That list includes the following from the updated prospect list:
Cristian Pache, OF – #2
Drew Waters, OF – #4
Spencer Strider, RHP – #5
Kyle Muller, LHP – #6
Tucker Davidson, LHP – #8
Freddy Tarnok, RHP – #11
William Woods, RHP – #21
Brooks Wilson, RHP – #24
Alan Rangel, RHP – #25
Dylan Lee, LHP – #35
Changes From 2021
The new list itself doesn’t have too many changes from the mid-season update from August. Nine of the top 10 from mid-season 2021 are still in the top 10 now, with lefty Jared Shuster dropping just a few spots and infielder Vaughn Grissom sneaking in at #10.
The Braves have not made any significant trades of prospects since the 2021 trade deadline that saw them shed first baseman Bryce Ball (Cubs), and righties Kasey Kalich (Royals) and Ricky DeVito (Pirates).
The lockout has delayed the Rule 5 draft, so we have yet to see if anyone will be selected from the Braves organization. The highest ranked prospect on our list that this eligible is outfielder Justin Dean at #26, followed by right-hander Jasseel De La Cruz (#29), first baseman Drew Lugbauer (#31), and right-hander Daysbel Hernandez (#33).
Two brand new prospects enter the list thanks to the 2022 amateur signing period, the first that the Braves have been able to participate in without restrictions since 2016. Shortstop Diego Benitez (#13) and outfielder Douglas Glod (#36) represent the new class.
National rankings have the Braves organization somewhere between #15 (Baseball Prospectus) and #27 (ESPN). I’d guess somewhere in the middle of that range is reality, as the organization still has a number of high-upside players in the top 10. And of course, with four consecutive division titles and a World Series under its belt, the Braves no longer need to have a top-10 ranked farm system to sustain major league success, it simply needs to graduate enough prospects to fill in occasional gaps or produce value through trades.
Coming Up at OFR
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