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.
Weekly Round-Up
FCL BRAVES:
AUGUSTA:
The Greenjackets faced division-leading Kannapolis at home this week with a chance to make up ground in the division. It didn’t work out the way they wanted it to, losing five of six in the series. Augusta falls to last place in the Carolina League South Division at 18-26 with a road trip to Fayetteville next on the schedule.
The win on Wednesday came thanks to right-hander Luis Vargas, re-inserted into the rotation on the heals of a series of promotions, who tossed 5 innings and allowed 2 runs while striking out a career-high 12 batters. Augusta’s five hits managed to produce 4 runs, good enough to squeak in a 4-3 win.
Outfielder Robert Gonzalez hit his first professional home run this week. Starters Adam Maier and Garrett Baumann both had short 1-inning starts as they both threw over 30 pitches to get out of the inning, which seems to be an automatic hook for the organization.
ROME:
Rome picked up a home series win against a good Wilmington team this week, taking four of six games and moving into an effective tie for first place in the division with Bowling Green with a 23-20 record. They will wrap up the month of May on the road in Greenville.
The Emperors won primarily thanks to some very good pitching, even with staff ace Owen Murphy taking the week off. Right-handers Drue Hackenberg and Lucas Braun pitched on Thursday and Saturday respectively and had remarkably similar results, both going 7 strong innings without surrendering an earned run, and leading the team to wins in tight scoring games, 2-1 and 2-0. Left-hander Riley Frey had his second consecutive strong start since his promotion to Rome, this time throwing 6 shutout innings and striking out 3 in a 3-2 Rome win.
After being held to only 34 hits in the first five games of the series the offense got off the mat and scored 8 runs on 10 hits on Sunday with third baseman Nick Ward having a big day, going 3-for-3 with 4 RBI. Overall, third baseman Sabin Ceballos had his best week as an Emperor, going 8-for-23 and walking 3 times while only striking out only 4 times. Catcher Adam Zebrowski had the only home run for Rome this week and also had a rare triple among his 3 hits.
MISSISSIPPI:
The Mississippi Braves had a tremendous week in Chattanooga as they uncharacteristically used offense to average 6 ½ runs per game to sweep the Lookouts. That brings the M-Braves record up to 22-23 on the season, just three games back of the Montgomery Biscuits, whom they play this week at Trustmark Park.
Starting pitching was great early in the week as Hurston Waldrep tossed 6.1 scoreless innings on Tuesday, allowing just five baserunners while striking out eight. Spencer Schwellenbach followed that up on Wednesday with seven scoreless innings while allowing just three baserunners and striking out eight. Schwellenbach now has thirteen consecutive scoreless innings to open his tenure at Double-A. The rest of the rotation was spotty but the bullpen more than picked up the slack. Domingo Gonzalez had two scoreless one-inning outings and two saves, Trey Riley had three scoreless innings over two outings, Hayden Harris tossed 1.2 scoreless innings over two appearances with five strikeouts and a save. Jorge Juan gave up two runs in his first appearance of the week but that was the only blemish in four innings over three outings with nine strikeouts and a save. Anthony Vizcaya and Rolddy Munoz recorded saves as well.
The offense scored scored 39 runs despite not hitting a home run during the week. 3B Keshawn Ogans hit safely in all five of his games and went 6-for-21 with two doubles and six RBI. Shortstop Nacho Alvarez had two three-hit games during a 10-for-27 week (.370/.414/.407). Outfielder Geraldo Quintero went just 4-for-16 but walked six times and scored six runs (.250/.455/.313). Catcher Tyler Tolve was 6-for-20 with three doubles and six RBI with just three strikeouts (.300/.333/.450). 2B Cal Conley went 7-for-20 with three doubles and six RBI (.350/.409/.500). Cade Bunnell played in just three games but went 4-for-8 with three runs scored and two doubles.
GWINNETT:
The Gwinnett Stripers returned home this week for a series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. After taking the first two games of the series, the Stripers dropped the final four to bring their record to 23-28 for the season. Gwinnett now takes to the road again to face off against the Norfolk Tides.
Starting pitching was a mess for Gwinnett this week several starters either in Atlanta or injured. Zach Logue started off the week with 6.2 innings of two-run baseball in Tuesday’s 4-3 ten-inning win. Taylor Widener followed that up on Wednesday with five innings of scoreless ball in a 3-0 victory. Things went downhill after that as Ian Mejia’s Triple-A debit went horribly as he was bombed for five runs in just 1.1 innings. Mejia gave up two home runs and three walks while throwing 57 pitches. Bryce Elder had his worst start of the season as he gave up six runs in just 4.1 innings along with giving up two home runs and seven walks while barely throwing half of his 92 pitches for strikes. Dylan Dodd finished up the week in giving up two runs in five innings of work in Sunday’s 3-1 loss.
In the Gwinnett bullpen, Grant Holmes piggybacked Widener’s start with four innings of scoreless ball with a save. Ken Giles, Ben Bowden, and Jackson Stephens each had two scoreless appearances during the week. Zach Logue, Tuesday’s starter, had a four-inning piggyback outing with Dylan Dodd on Sunday, giving up just one run.
Gwinnett’s offense scored eleven runs in Thursday’s loss but amassed just thirteen runs over the remaining five games during the week. 1B Yuri Gurriel went 7-for-15 during the week with two doubles and three RBI (.467/.556/.600). Andrew Velazquez went just 3-for-16 during the week but the three hits were a double and two home runs (.188/.235/.625). Catcher Sean Murphy had a four-game rehab stint during the week and went 5-for-18 a double, two home runs, and four RBI.
POSITION PLAYER of the WEEK:
PITCHER of the WEEK:
Transaction Round-Up
- 5/20/2024: RHP Darius Vines and Daysbel Hernandez recalled from AAA Gwinnett; RHP Bryce Elder optioned to AAA Gwinnett
- 5/21/2024: LHP Ray Kerr optioned to AAA Gwinnett; RHP Brooks Wilson transferred to the developmental list for AAA Gwinnett
After five starts with mixed success, Elder gets switched out of the fifth starter spot. None of Elder, Winans, or Vines have been able to solidify that spot at this point in the season, with Elder being given the most opportunity to do so.
Kerr was sent to Gwinnett ostensibly to stretch out to start but circumstances would change for him mid-week.
- 5/20/2024: RHP Jackson Stephens signed to a minor league contract and assigned to AAA Gwinnett
As expected, Stephens returns to the fold.
- 5/21/2024: C Harry Owen assigned to A Augusta from FCL Braves
- 5/22/2024: C Jacob Godman placed on the 7-day injured list for A Augusta; C Dawson Dimon assigned to A Augusta from A+ Rome; C Jose Marcano assigned to A+ Rome from A Augusta
The Augusta catching corps gets a completely different look as Godman gets injured. Dimon is a minor league veteran who essentially fills Godman’s role.
- 5/23/2024: RHP AJ Smith-Shawver recalled from AAA Gwinnett; RHP Daysbel Hernandez optioned to AAA Gwinnett; RHP Ian Mejia assigned to to AAA Gwinnett from AA Mississippi
Smith-Shawver was next up for 5th-starter roulette, and the start went well until he got hurt.
Coming on the heals of his 7-inning no-hitter the prior week, Mejia gets his first bump to triple-A.
- 5/24/2024: IF Joey Wendle signed to free agent contract; UT Luke Williams optioned to AAA Gwinnett
Wendle is a 9-year major league veteran, mostly known for his 4-year stretch with Tampa Bay, including an All-Star selection in 2021. Wendle has only hit .237/.273/.331 since the start of 2022 however, making him more of a role player. That said, Wendle can play a credible shortstop.
- 5/24/2024: AJ Smith-Shawver placed on the 15-day injured list (left oblique muscle); LHP Ray Kerr recalled from AAA Gwinnett; RHP Parker Dunshee assigned to AAA Gwinnett from AA Mississippi
With Smith-Shawver likely missing at least a month with his oblique issue, Kerr will stretch out to start at the major league level, at least for now.
Dunshee has been outstanding for Mississippi. This will be the fourth consecutive year Dunshee has pitched at the triple-A level.
- 5/24/2024: RHP Jake Walsh placed on the 7-day injure list for AAA Gwinnett; RHP Brooks Wilson activated from the developmental list
Walsh has been a good addition to the Stripers bullpen, pitching to a 2.31 ERA in 11 appearances.
- 5/24/2024: IF Joan Acevedo signed to an amateur free agent contract and assigned to the DSL Braves, who begin play on June 3.
Another 17-year-old to fill out DSL Braves roster.
- 5/25/2024: RHP Jimmy Herget recalled from AAA Gwinnett; RHP Darius Vines optioned to AAA Gwinnett
The Braves picked up Herget in a cash transaction with the Angels on May 2. He provides a fresh arm after a sequence of short starts taxed the Atlanta bullpen
- 5/25/2024: RHP Patrick Halligan assigned to AA Mississippi from AAA Gwinnett; RHP Landon Harper assigned to AA Mississippi from A+ Rome; RHP J.J. Niekro placed on the 7-day injured list for AA Mississippi
Halligan, who went up to Gwinnett for a spot start this week, goes back to Mississippi and would seem a candidate to step into the rotation for Niekro, who has been solid this season for the M-Braves. Harper gets his first shot at double-A; his 5.61 Rome ERA is unsightly, but he’s pitched much better than that, with his ERA getting tanked thanks to an emergency start in which he surrendered 7 runs. As a reliever he owns a 3.34 ERA on the season and has held opponents to a .204/.228/.408 batting line.
- 5/26/2024: LHP Rolando Gutierrez placed on the 7-day injured list for A Augusta; RHP Juan Sanchez assigned to A Augusta from FCL Braves; RHP Cory Wall assigned to A Augusta from A+ Rome
Gutierrez was promoted last week from the FCL to help Augusta fill in bullpen innings with the promotion of Mitch Farris to Rome and Luis Vargas going back to the rotation, but with his injury, Augusta was left in the same boat. Wall and Sanchez will look to fill the gap. –
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