Welcome to the Braves Farm Report, where we will take a look at the Braves farm system and look at trends and players that seem interesting, and give first hand accounts of what we’re seeing down on the farm.
Also be sure to check out the OFR Farm Report Podcast where we discuss these events and give opinions and commentary.
Mailbag
Q: Who are the most obvious trade chips? With Touki’s continued struggles as a starter, how long until the Braves try him in the bullpen? – N. Lyle
A: You never can tell who is getting the attention of other clubs. If you asked this question last year, it’s unlikely anyone would have said Kasey Kalich (traded for Jorge Soler) or Ricky DeVito (traded for Richard Rodriguez), two lower-level arms that were not discussed much in prospect circles. It’s likely they were players considered by the teams trading for them back when they were still amateurs and had good scouting reports on them.
However, names like Bryce Ball (traded for Joc Pederson), Bryse Wilson (Rodriguez), and Alex Jackson (traded for Adam Duvall) likely would have been mentioned. Ball was a prospect with some buzz, but who was having a down season and the Braves likely capitalized on his value. Wilson and Jackson were former prospects who had not established themselves in the majors. Looking at these kinds of players, there’s some names that come to mind.
- The current Gwinnett starters Touki Toussaint, Tucker Davidson, or Huascar Ynoa. The saying “you can’t have enough pitching” has been proven true time and time again, but this is still an area of strength for the team. If reports are good on Mike Soroka‘s comeback bid and Spencer Strider continues to show he’s a starting option, it doesn’t take much imagination to see Atlanta use one these arms to secure a trade. Toussaint will be out of options next year, so it seems especially likely the Braves may want to avoid a situation similar to earlier this year with Sean Newcomb, where the team was forced to part with a talented arm that they had invested so much into for essentially nothing.
- In the Bryce Ball category, players like Rome’s Justyn-Henry Malloy or Mississippi’s Luke Waddell or Darius Vines could be possibilities. All have performed well to date and could have attracted scouting though none are considered top-tier prospects.
- Like Alex Jackson, players like Gwinnett’s Travis Demeritte or Chadwick Tromp have major league experience and even have had flashes of success. Either could be had in a deal.
Naturally, like last year Anthopoulos would seem more likely to be adding complementary major leaguers to an already good squad rather than having to fill a glaring hole. If trying to trade for a high-quality established veteran the players I describe would not be sufficient — other teams would be asking for players like Michael Harris II or Spencer Strider. The Braves would likely try to counter with Drew Waters, Kyle Muller, or even Rome’s Vaughn Grissom.
As for Toussaint’s future roll for the club, we’ve noticed that he has not made an appearance in two weeks with Gwinnett, but has not been placed on the injury list. It seems likely he is working on something mechanically, but he could also be making a role adjustment as well.
Weekly Round-Up
COMPLEX LEAGUES:
The official schedules of the Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer Leagues started this week. For the DSL Braves, the roster was full of players signed over the last two international signing periods, and with the team not competing last season almost everyone on the squad were making their professional debuts.
Catcher Alexander Martinez has made a strong first impression, going 8-for-18 on the week with 3 doubles and a home run, the DSL Braves’ first of the season. Top 2022 signing Diego Benitez made his pro debut with a 3-for-13 week, drawing 5 walks for a .444 OBP and stealing a base. Right-hander Andres Sanchez made the most of his debut start, tossing 3 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and walking none.
The FCL Braves roster is composed of more familiar faces with most of the team having played last season and some having experience in Augusta. Righty Rainiery Rodriguez, who pitched 45 innings with Augusta in 2021, had the most successful start of the opening week, tossing 4 shutout innings and only allowing 2 baserunners. Outfielder Jair Casanova made his pro debut in style, going 7-for-19 with 3 walks and 3 RBI. Of the top prospects at this level, shortstop Ambioris Tavarez has not debuted yet and outfielder Tyler Collins only appeared in one game, going 1-for-4 with a walk.
AUGUSTA:
Augusta travelled to Columbia this week to take on the rival Fireflies and took care of business, winning four of the six games and outscoring Columbia 53-20 over the course of the series. Augusta raised their record to 31-26, still sitting in 3rd place and 9 games back of Charleston and Myrtle Beach. They will welcome Charleston to SRP Park this week.
After dropping the opener, the Jackets had their way with Columbia the next four games, winning by scores of 15-2, 16-3, 6-2, and 9-0. Columbia’s frustrations boiled over on Saturday. In the 5th inning with Augusta already up 5-0, Columbia pitcher Wander Arias buzzed catcher Rusber Estrada inside for ball four. Estrada, who had homered off Arias in the 3rd inning, barked at Arias, and Arias followed followed Estrada up the baseline and then took a swipe at the catcher. The benches cleared and there was a brief dust-up, with Arias and Estrada getting tossed from the game. The fired-up Greenjackets would score four more times that inning.
Most Greenjackets had strong weeks at the plate, including OFR Position Player of the Week Brandol Mezquita, who went 10-for-23 with 4 doubles, 3 walks, 7 RBI, and a stolen base. Nearly upstaging him was third baseman Geraldo Quintana (11-for-26, 8 runs, 3 doubles, 6 RBI, 4 stolen bases), outfielder Kadon Morton (6-for-15, a double, triple, homer, and stolen base), first baseman Mahki Backstrom (5-for-13, 2 doubles, 3 RBI), and infielder Caleb Durbin (9-for-27, 8 runs, a double, 6 RBI, 6 walks, 4 stolen bases). Shortstop Cal Conley and outfielder Brandon Parker also homered this week, with Conley also driving in 10 runs on 6 hits.
Augusta got strong starting pitching from J.J. Niekro (7 shutout innings), Jordano Perez (6 shutout innings), Luis Vargas (5 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs), and the return of A.J. Smith-Shawver after sitting out a week (5 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 7 strikeouts). With rotation stalwart Landon Leach landing on the injured list, that left Kris Anglin tasked with making series bookend starts on Tuesday and Sunday, but he could only get through 1.2 innings combined. Right-handed reliever Ronaldo Alesandro put aside a shaky full-season debut last week to toss 4 hitless and scoreless innings over two appearances, striking out 5.
ROME:
Rome welcomed the Wilmington Blue Rocks to AdventHealth Stadium for the first time and ended up splitting the series with them, putting their record at 31-26 and remaining 3.5 games back of first-place Bowling Green. Rome next visits the struggling Asheville Tourists.
Left-hander Dylan Dodd and righty Royber Salinas both won their starts this week, each pitching through 6 innings and allowing only 1 run apiece. Salinas struck out 6 Blue Rocks to give him 99 strikeouts on the season, still pacing all of affiliated ball, 15 strikeouts more than Boston prospect Brayan Bello. Righty Andrew Hoffmann was solid in a 5-inning, 2-run outing that kept Rome in the game long enough for Rome to score three runs in the 6th to win 5-2 on Thursday. Righty Roddery Munoz was roughed up however in his start, allowing 10 hits and 6 runs in 5.1 innings. Left-hander Lisandro Santos made his second start of the season on Sunday, allowing two runs in 4 innings.
The bullpen was especially stingy this week, only allowing 5 runs all week, 4 for them by right-hander Isrrael De La Cruz on Sunday. R.J. Freure, Jake McSteen, Alec Barger, Trey Riley, and Austin Smith each had multiple outings without giving up a run.
The pitching needed to be sharp this week as the offense was anemic, only scoring 16 runs the entire series. Top Rome prospect Vaughn Grissom had the team’s only home run this week, though otherwise he only hit 4-for-17 with 6 strikeouts. Outfielder Christian Robinson was 4-for-8 in three games.
MISSISSIPPI:
The woes of the Mississippi Braves since the promotion of Michael Harris continued as they won only two of their six games in their first-ever trip to Rocket City to face the Trash Pandas. They were fortunate to even win those two games as they scored just seven runs…for the entire week. The M-Braves record has fallen to 26-31 and they now return home to face the Birmingham Barons.
Mississippi did get a couple of terrific starts from Tanner Gordon (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) and Jared Shuster (6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) but did not get much from the other members of the rotation this week. Freddy Tarnok’s struggles continued as he threw a total of 2.2 innings in his two starts. He gave up just one run but gave up three hits and four walks and exhibited significant command issues. Alan Rangel’s start began well but he gave up four solo home runs including three in the fifth inning, his last. The road woes of Darius Vines continued as he gave up seven runs in just three innings of work. He now has a 9.15 ERA in five road starts this season as opposed to a 2.94 ERA in six home starts.
The bullpen exhibited limited success during the week as Justin Maese had two perfect one-inning outings, striking out five and earning a save while Odalvi Javier had two more scoreless appearances, giving him five in a row. Indigo Diaz had just one appearance, but he pitched a perfect inning, striking out two.
The M-Braves scored seven runs for the week so there’s not much to talk about here. Drew Lugbauer single-handedly won one of the doubleheader games on Thursday, but he was just 2-for-16 on the week with a double, home run, two walks… and twelve strikeouts (.125/.222/.375). C.J. Alexander was 5-for-18 with two doubles, a home run, and just two strikeouts (.278/.278/.556). Infielder Riley Delgado was 5-for-20 with two doubles and two walks (.250/.318/.350). No other M-Brave had more than three hits for the week.
GWINNETT:
The Gwinnett Stripers paid a visit to Florida this week to face the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Although the pitching staff gave up more than three runs twice during the week, the Stripers could not generate much offense (just twenty runs in six games) and dropped four out of their six games. Their record is now 29-31 and they will play Indianapolis at home next week.
Huascar Ynoa got the bookend starts for the rotation this week, his first start was tremendous, pitching seven no-hit innings before being removed after 96 pitches in a 7-0 win on Tuesday. His second start did not go as well, giving up four runs in four innings and striking out only one. Kyle Muller (6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K) and Tucker Davidson (7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, 2 HR) also had terrific starts although both resulted in losses due to lack of offensive support. Bryce Elder’s start did not go as well as he gave up four runs in 4.2 innings and had traffic on the bases throughout his start, reminiscent of his Atlanta starts earlier in the season.
In Stripers bullpen action, they returned to using Victor Vodnik in one-inning stints and he responded with two scoreless efforts. Connor Johnstone tossed three shutout innings while backing opener Nolan Kingham’s four innings of one-unearned run baseball. Michael Tonkin, Brandon Brennan, Seth Elledge, Brad Brach, and Brandyn Sittinger all were unscored upon during the week.
Outfielder Drew Waters started the week hot with a four-hit game on Tuesday including a home run. Unfortunately, he only had two more hits the rest of the week as he hit .300/.333/.550. Shortstop Braden Shewmake hit safely in all five of his games with a double (.333/.368/.389). Newly added infielder Kramer Robertson was 5-for-20 with two doubles but was 0-for-2 in stolen bases (.250/.318/.350). OF-DH Alex Dickerson had a rough week as he was 0-for-14 with six strikeouts and a walk.
POSITION PLAYER of the WEEK:
PITCHER of the WEEK:
Transaction Round-Up
- 6/6/2022: Tampa Bay Rays trade C Dawson Dimon to Atlanta; Atlanta assigns C Dawson Dimon to A+ Rome
No word on what went back to Tampa Bay in the transaction, so it was likely a few bucks. Dimon is a minor league career .182/.293/.245 hitter, though he has only gotten 168 plate appearances since being drafted in the 34th round in 2018.
- 6/6/2022: OF Jesse Franklin V moved from 7-day injured list to the Injured-Full Season list
Franklin’s second pro season comes to an end after only 66 plate appearances and Tommy John surgery. It’s a major setback for the #18 OFR prospect and 2021 Braves minor league home run leader.
- 6/6/2022: RHP Ben Thompson sent on a rehab assignment to FCL Braves from A Augusta
- 6/9/2022: RHP Ben Thompson released
After a promising start in 2019 with the GCL Braves, Thompson was hit hard in low-A in 2021 and 2022 before his injury. In his one rehab appearance, he allowed 3 runs (none earned) in 1 inning pitched.
- 6/6/2022: RHP Jose Montilla sent on a rehab assignment to the FCL Braves from A+ Rome
A mainstay of the 2019 Rome bullpen (31 games, 74.1 innings, 3.03 ERA), Montilla has been out since then with an undisclosed injury. He has made two scoreless appearances so far with the FCL Braves, pitching 2.1 innings.
- 6/7/2022: Arizona Diamondbacks trade RHP Jacob Webb to Atlanta; RHP Collin McHugh placed on the injured list
Though not announced by the club, reports were that McHugh had a positive COVID test. McHugh has been vaccinated and boosted, so he can return to the club as soon as he tests negative twice, which means Webb’s reunion with the club will likely be short-lived. Since being picked up by the Diamondbacks off waivers from Atlanta on April 19, Webb has only pitched 5.1 innings for AAA Reno, giving up 6 runs.
- 6/7/2022: 1B John Nogowski released from AAA Gwinnett
Nogowski was selected in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft in December from the Pittsburgh Pirates, which whom he made his major league debut last season. He was a spring training invite, making a long-shot bid for a bench role, but instead was assigned to Gwinnett where is appeared in 40 games, getting 148 plate appearances and hitting .234/.338/.323 with 2 home runs. His release made room for waiver pick-up Mike Ford, which was made official a few days later.
- 6/9/2022: RHP Landon Leach placed on 7-day injured list for A Augusta
Leach has been in the Augusta rotation all season, throwing 35.2 innings in 9 starts with a 4.04 ERA. Leach was a minor league free agent signing in March after having previously played in the Minnesota Twins organization.
- 6/10/2022: 1B Mike Ford claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners and assigned to AAA Gwinnett; SS Joe Dunand designated for assignment
- 6/12/2022: SS Joe Dunand outrighted to AAA Gwinnett
Looking for another potential left-handed bench option, the Braves picked up well-travelled slugger Mike Ford. Ford, who turns 30 years old on July 4, was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees in 2013. He was selected in the Rule 5 draft in 2017 by Seattle, but returned to New York the following spring. He was traded in 2021 to Tampa Bat for minor league outfielder Aldenis Sanchez, but was then selected off waivers by the Nationals two months later. After becoming a minor league free agent last offseason he re-signed with Seattle. In late April he was designated for assignment and picked up by San Francisco, who traded him back to Seattle for cast in mid-May. He was designated for assignment by Seattle on June 5.
Ford owns a .197/.307/.400 major league batting line with 17 home runs in 361 plate appearances, mostly with the Yankees. He has hit 105 minor league home runs.
- 6/11/2022: LHPs Alex Segal and Samuel Strickland assigned to FCL Braves from A Augusta on rehab assignment
For Segal, this is the first time he has appeared in a minor league game since 2019 with Danville of the old Appalachian League. Strickland appeared briefly for Augusta earlier this season, getting into 2 games before getting hurt.
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