Monday Farm Report, 4/22/2024

Welcome to the Braves Farm Report! Every Monday we take a look back at the previous week in the Braves minor league system, recapping the week’s action, spotlighting top performers, analyzing rosters and transactions, and sometimes answering questions or doing deep dives into Braves prospects.

Greenjackets Roster Revealed

The last of Atlanta’s full-season rosters, the Greenjackets come to the 2024 season a bit younger than previous recent incarnations thanks a number of the 2022 international signing class climbing up to the level. This group is largely made up of 19 and 20 year-olds, and they will try to form a cohesive team with the mostly college-experienced draftees.

Infield

SS Diego Benitez
1B Drew Compton
IF Leiker Figueroa
2B/SS Cam Magee
IF Luis Sanchez
IF Will Verdung

The 19-year-old Benitez was the marquee name of the Braves 2022 international class, though his performance in the complex leagues and this season to date haven’t exactly set the world on fire. He will be looking to hone his craft at shortstop. Figueroa and Sanchez are very young, multi-positional players both looking for a way to stand out.

Of the three college bats, former Georgia Tech star Compton figures to get almost all of the playing time at first base and provide some consistency in the middle of the batting order. Magee and Verdung will rotate in and out of the line-up, splitting time at second and third with Figueroa and Sanchez.

Outfield

OF Pier-Olivier Boucher
OF Isaiah Drake
OF Robert Gonzalez
OF Jace Grady
OF Kade Kern

Drake is the top prospect of this group, and it figures the class of 2023 graduate from North Atlanta High School will take his lumps early on as he learns how to transform his impressive tools into baseball skills. Gonzalez will play most everyday, sharing center field with Drake and moving to a corner when Drake is in center. College bats Kern and Grady will take most of the rest of the time in the corners, providing some stability to the line-up. The team’s designated hitter on most given days will likely come from this group. Boucher is a more of a reserve outfielder, and the most limited defensively.

Catcher

C Jacob Godman
C Alexander Martinez
C Luis Parababire

This will likely be a limited catching corps from the offensive standpoint. Godman is a 26-year-old undrafted free agent signee from last season out of Oral Roberts. He will split time with the 19-year-old Martinez, who already is showing to be a quality receiver but is still developing both physically and at the plate. Parababire is even younger, just turning 18 years old a few weeks ago. He’s on the roster strictly as depth at this point, and will likely move back down to the FCL Braves once the complex leagues start playing games where they count the scores.

Starting Pitching

RHP Garrett Baumann
LHP Riley Frey
RHP Didier Fuentes
RHP Cade Kuehler
RHP Adam Maier
RHP Davis Polo
RHP J.R. Ritchie*

Like much of the rest of the minor league teams in the organization, wins on any given night will likely have to be built off the shoulders of the starting pitching and Augusta’s stable of arms are an interesting mix. Kuehler and Baumann are the Braves second- and fourth-round picks from the 2023 draft and headline the group. Kuehler has velocity and a nasty slider in his favor and as a college arm would seem to be a mid-season promotion candidate. Baumann is still only 19 years old, drafted out of Hagerty High School in Oviedo, FL, and will likely spend most if not all the season in Augusta. He has a surprisingly polished mix of pitches considering his level of experience, and his change-up is good enough that he could put up some gaudy numbers at this level.

Maier was a 2022 draft pick who wasn’t able to make his pro debut until opening weekend this year due to a series of injuries including a torn UCL. He’s still young for that class for a college arm and his sinker-slider mix with strong command should allow him to perform well at this level. Riley Frey is a lefty 19th-rounder from 2023 who can work from either the rotation or the bullpen. Fuentes and Polo are two international arms with exciting stuff that need to get innings and figure out how to get outs. Both will likely pitch the whole season with the club.

Ritchie was a first-round pick in 2022 who showed impressive stuff before he tore is UCL last April. He could be back later in the year.

Relief Pitching

RHP Zack Austin
RHP Giomar Diaz
RHP Adel Dilone
LHP Mitch Farris
RHP Seth Keller
RHP LJ McDonough
LHP Adam Shoemaker
RHP William Silva
RHP Luis Vargas
RHP Jason Franks*
RHP Isaac Gallegos*

As with previous years, the Greenjackets bullpen is staffed with plenty of arms that can provide innings or even start in an emergency. Farris, Keller, Shoemaker, and Vargas all fall into this category, with the later three combining for 20 starts for the team last season. Austin and Dilone profile as middle-relief arms while Diaz, McDonough, and Silva will share late-game duties. Of that trio, Dominican arm Giomar Diaz has potential closer stuff.

Franks was a big part of the Augusta bullpen last season but appears to have gotten injured this spring and will miss the season. Gallegos may be activated later this season.

Weekly Round-Up

AUGUSTA:

Augusta hosted the North Division-leading Carolina Mudcats for six games at SRP Park and dropped four of them. Augusta is now 7-8 on the young season and will go on the road to Columbia and look to make up ground against the South Division leaders.

The series got off to a good start on Tuesday with right-hander Cade Kuehler picking up his first professional win thanks to six scoreless innings and a six-run 6th inning punctuated by five consecutive singles by the Augusta line-up. Righties Davis Polo and Didier Fuentes started the following two night, each giving up 3 earned runs in losses. Friday night starter Garett Baumann tossed a gem, 6 scoreless innings with 3 hits, 2 walks, and a career-high 7 strikeouts, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the 3-0 lead in the 9th as the Mudcats scored 5 runs off Mitch Farris and L.J. McDonough for the come-from-behind win.

Righty Adam Maier allowed 3 runs in 4 innings on Saturday night and the bullpen collapsed again for a 7-9 loss. Augusta did salvage getaway day however, with left Riley Frey tossing 5 innings and only allowing one unearned run, good enough for the Jackets to get a 3-1, rain-shortened 6-inning win.

First baseman Drew Compton had a nice week at the plate, going 6-for-14 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI. Centerfielder Robert Gonzalez also hit well, going 6-for-17 with a couple of doubles himself and stealing a base. Saturday saw struggling catcher Alexander Martinez pick up his first two hits at the level, one of which was a double. Shortstop Diego Benitez had the big hit in that 6-run rally on Tuesday, but overall only had three hits in the series and also made two more errors as well, giving him 8 in only 12 games played so far.

ROME:

For the second week in a row the elements prevented the Emperors from playing all six games of a series as they took three of five from the home team Ashville Tourists with Sunday’s game postponed until May. That leaves the team tied atop the SAL South Division with their eternal nemeses the Bowling Green Hot Rods as they continue their Carolina swing up to Winston-Salem this week.

Righty Drue Hackenberg had a tough start on Tuesday, getting behind 2-0 in the 2nd after a Ambioris Tavarez throwing error put what would have been the third out of the inning on ahead of a home run. He was chased in the fourth after getting two quick outs after allowing a single, hitting a batter, and walking the next two to bring in a run. Rome would only muster up 2 runs as Ashville won the opener 4-2.

Righty Lucas Braun, who had only allowed 10 earned runs in his pro career coming into the game, allowed 6 and only got 2 outs as his pitch count soared to 30 in the first inning on Wednesday, ruining the 3-0 lead he had been staked to. The Rome offense however didn’t go down lightly after that, erupting for 12 runs — more than they had scored the entire previous series — but they couldn’t pull out the win and dropped 15-12.

Righty Daniel Martinez, returning to Rome after a brief stay with Gwinnett, started on Thursday and helped right the ship with a 4 inning, 1 run start where he struggled with control but kept most of the baserunners from scoring. The offense kicked into gear again and this time was able to pick up an 8-5 win. Owen Murphy continues his run of good starts to begin the season, allowing 2 runs in 5 innings and striking out a season-high 11 batters, briefly taking the minor league strikeout lead in the process. In what turned out to be the season-ending game on Saturday, righty Spencer Schwellenback battled his command, allowing 3 runs and 3 walks but striking out 8 to keep the damage low enough the offense and bullpen to help secure the 10-4 win.

The bats are warming up along with the weather, lead by OFR Position Player of the Week and lead-off man Kevin Kirkpatrick, who went 11-for-26 with 5 doubles, a triple, a homer, and 3 stolen bases. Essentially matching the production were outfielder Ethan Workinger (7-for-18, 2 doubles, 2 homer) and first baseman Justin Janas (8-for-17, 3 doubles, 2 homers). Nick Clarno and Adam Zebrowski provided production out of the catcher spot, combining for 7 hits with each also homering.

MISSISSIPPI:

The Mississippi Braves started a two-week Alabama road swing this week, starting off in Birmingham this week to take on the Barons. In another low-scoring series that was often interrupted by rain, the M-Braves dropped five out of six despite allowing just fifteen runs in the series. That’s mainly because the M-Braves scored just nine runs in the six games. Mississippi now takes a 4-11 record down I-65 to take on the Montgomery Biscuits this week.

Starting pitching was quite good this week as JJ Niekro was the only starter to allow as many as three runs in a start this week while the starters compiled a 2.43 ERA. Drew Parrish gave up just two runs over 6.2 innings while covering bookend starts while Ian Mejia, Luis De Avila, and Hurston Waldrep each had matching six-inning, one-earned run starts during the middle of the series. In the bullpen, Hayden Harris had a two-inning scoreless appearance where he struck out five while Patrick Halligan racked up 2.2 scoreless innings over two outings.

Mississippi’s offense continued their early-season struggles although catcher Drake Baldwin showed signs of a breakout with a 5-for-14 week with a walk and an RBI. Shortstop Nacho Alvarez went 5-for-20 with four walks and a stolen base while outfielder Justin Dean went 5-for-13 with three walks, a home run, four RBI, and two stolen bases (.385/.500/.615). Outfielder Geraldo Quintero was 5-for-15 with two walks and four stolen bases. Catcher Tyler Tolve had a rough week as he went 1-for-19 with twelve strikeouts.

GWINNETT:

The Gwinnett Stripers returned home this week for a series against the Memphis Redbirds. After taking Tuesday’s opener 6-5, Gwinnett won just one of the remaining four games while scoring a total of just six runs before being rained out for Sunday’s finale. The Stripers now take a 9-11 record back on the road to face the Norfolk Tides.

Gwinnett’s starting pitchers had a respectable 3.70 ERA this week although two of the five games were started by journeymen Zach Logue and Taylor Widener. Bryce Elder got off to a rough start in Tuesday’s opener, giving up three runs in the first inning before settling down to give up no additional runs over the next five innings and leaving with a quality start in hand. On Wednesday, AJ Smith-Shawver had his best start of the season in giving up just one run over 4.2 innings and allowing just three baserunners while building up to 63 pitches. Dylan Dodd’s start on Thursday was the opposite of Elder’s in that he tossed four scoreless innings before giving up three runs in his fifth and final inning.

In the bullpen, Allan Winans piggybacked Smith-Shawver’s starts with four innings of scoreless work in which he allowed just one baserunner on just 36 pitches while earning the win. Ray Kerr gave up a two-run home run in his first appearance of the week but the runs were unearned and he earned a save. He struck out four over his 2.2 innings on the week. Daysbel Hernandez, Brooks Wilson, and Grant Holmes were among those with a scoreless appearance for the week while veteran Ken Giles had two one-inning scoreless outings.

Gwinnett’s offense was mostly dreadful as they scored more than two runs once in their five games this week. Alejo Lopez had three multi-hit games as he went 6-for-20 on the week, catcher Sandy Leon continued his offensive hot streak in going 3-for-10 with a double, home run, four RBI, and five walks. Luke Williams was 3-for-11 with a home run, three RBI, and two stolen bases before being called up to Atlanta late in the week. Outfielder Forrest Wall re-joined the club after being optioned from the big-league club late in the week and went 4-for-8 with a stolen base and two runs scored.

POSITION PLAYER of the WEEK:

PITCHER of the WEEK:

Transaction Round-Up

• 4/15/2024: RHP Daniel Martinez assigned to A+ Rome from AAA Gwinnett

As mentioned last week, Martinez was moved up to Gwinnett to provide bulk innings as the team scrambled having its rotation disrupted by major league needs. He threw 3.1 innings in a relief appearance then returned to Rome for his delayed first start of the season.

• 4/16/2024: 2B Ozzie Albies placed on the 10-day IL for MLB Atlanta (broken right toe); selects the contract of IF David Fletcher from AAA Gwinnett

Albies was hit with a sharp breaking ball he stood in the box and will miss at least two weeks, possibly a month. In the meantime the Braves will look to man the position with a platoon of Luis Guillorme on the left side and long-time Angels veteran Fletcher on the right.

• 4/16/2024: OF Bryson Worrell assigned to AAA Gwinnett from A+ Rome; OF Skye Bolt placed on the 7-day IL

Worrell will backfill Bolt’s role as part-time outfielder while looking for his first hit of the season.

• 4/16/2024: RHP Anthony Vizcaya assigned to AA Mississippi
• 4/21/2024: RHP Anthony Vizcaya assigned to AAA Gwinnett from AA Mississippi

Vizcaya had been held back in extended spring training. Vizcaya signed as a minor league free agent late in the offseason after impressing in the Caribbean Series for Venezuela.

• 4/16/2024: 1B Yuli Gurriel signed to a minor league contract and assigned to AAA Gwinnett

The former NL batting champion may be assigned to Gwinnett but for now he’s at the North Port complex in extended spring training. Presumably he will join the team when he finishes knocking the rust off.

• 4/19/2024: MLB Atlanta selects the contract of UT Luke Williams from AAA Gwinnett; options OF Forrest Wall to AAA Gwinnett

Wall had only made two appearances and had only one AB through the first three weeks of the season. This move allows him to swing the bat in games and stay fresh in case he’s needed. Williams can back-up both the infield and outfield and had been hitting well with the Stripers.

• 4/19/2024: RHP Reibyn Corona assigned to A+ Rome from A Augusta
• 4/21/2024: RHP Ryan Bourassa placed on the 7-day IL for A+ Rome

Rain significantly disrupted Rome’s pitching the prior week, so Corona provides some bulk innings for the team. Bourassa had pitched on Thursday, throwing a clean inning, and we don’t know the injury.

• 4/20/2024: SS Joe Olsavsky assigned to A Augusta from FCL Braves

Augusta’s infield defense has been an adventure early this season, and Olsavsky will give Greenjackets manager Wynston Sawyer another option.

• 4/22/2024: RHP Bryce Elder recalled by MLB Atlanta from AAA Gwinnett; RHP Darius Vines optioned to AAA Gwinnett

This move likely has less to do with how Vines pitched in Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Texas and more about giving reliever-turned-started Reynaldo Lopez more time between starts to keep him fresh. Elder’s performances have been mixed so far at Gwinnett, but his stuff has looked strong.