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.
Nacho Headed to The Show, Braves to Sign Veteran Whitfield
When Ozzie Albies came out of the game on Sunday immediately after suffering a wrist injury in the field, no one thought the prognosis would be good. This was confirmed when x-rays on the wrist showed a fracture that will likely keep the team sparkplug on the shelf for around 8 weeks.
Reports indicate that the team is planning on selecting the contract of infielder Nacho Alvarez from triple-A Gwinnett to start for Atlanta in Albies’ absence. Alvarez is hitting a combined .293/.401/.417 for Mississippi and Gwinnett this year. In his 28 games since his promotion to Gwinnett, Alvarez has also found his power stroke, and all 7 of his season homers have come with the Stripers. His production had already had some fans wondering if the team would consider bringing him up to replace the struggling Orlando Arcia at shortstop, but the Albies injury means they will instead be up-the-middle partners for the time being.
Alvarez is OFR’s current #7 prospect, and is the organization’s top position player prospect. In the minor leagues his calling cards have been superb strike-zone awareness and an ability to get the bat on the ball.
As perhaps a back-up plan in case Alvarez struggles, the Braves are reportedly signing free agent utilityman Whit Merrifield, who was released by the Phillies last week. Merrifield is a three-time All-Star, most recently with the Blue Jays last season. As a part-time player for Philadelphia this year, Merrifield has hit .199/.277/.295. In addition to second base, Merrifield can also capably handle third base and both corner outfield spots.
Braves Sign Top 10 Draft Picks
The Braves have reportedly signed at least twelve of their twenty picks less than a week after the conclusion of the 2024 amateur draft last Tuesday. This includes all of the team’s top 10 round picks, including first rounder left-hander Cam Caminiti. Some of these signings, including Caminiti’s, have been confirmed by the team’s transaction tracker while others are being reported by the likes of MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo and Baseball America’s Chris Collazo.
Speculation had Atlanta having to go overslot with the bonus to ink Caminiti, considered by many to be the top prep pitcher in the draft, but in the end he agreed to a bonus of $3,553,800, exactly the bonus slotted for the 24th-overall pick.
Taking overslot bonuses instead were prep picks catcher Nicholas Montgomery ($997,500 against a $403,400 slot for pick #161) and right-hander Ethan Bagwell ($822,500 against a $312,800 slot for pick #191). Prep right-hander Cayman Goode also has signed for a reportedly $161,500 bonus, slightly above the 12th-round allotment of $150,000. The Braves selected college seniors in the 7th-10th rounds for the pool savings that set up these signings.
Weekly Round-Up
COMPLEX LEAGUES:
The DSL Braves went 0-5 on what was All-Star week for the Dominican Summer League. Braves RHPs Edward Cedano and Kendy Francique represented the team at the All-Star game. The big news however was the activation of top international prospect shortstop Jose Perdomo from the injured list to make his professional debut. After being hampered with a strained hamstring suffered in spring training, Perdomo went 1-for-4 in two games this week.
The FCL Braves went 2-4, both wins coming early in the week before the departure of three of the team’s top offensive producers, outfielders Junior Garcia and Luis Guanipa and infielder John Gil, all promoted to low-A Augusta. Gil and Garcia each went 3-for-8 in the two games while Guanipa went 2-for-7, all three tallying a double apiece. Outfielder Carlos Monteverde has taken well to stateside baseball, going 7-for-17 in five games, including a double of his own. Right-hander David Rodriguez went five innings in his start on Saturday, allowing a run on 4 hits and striking out 6. Speaking of DSL All-Stars, 2023 honoree Rayven Antonio made a start last week, going 4 shutout innings, allowing just one hit.
AUGUSTA:
Augusta stumbled out of the break, getting swept in three games at Kannapolis. They will take the interminable trip down US 501 to Myrtle Beach for six games against the Pelicans this week.
The Greenjackets got an injection of youth into their line-up with the additions of teenagers Luis Guanipa, Junior Garcia, and John Gil. Of the three, Gil has gotten off to the fastest start, going 3-for-10 in the three games with a stolen base. Garcia is still looking for his first full-season hit. First baseman Will Verdung was the top offensive producer, going 3-for-10 with a double and a home run, but the team overall struggled at the plate, scoring only 4 runs in the 3 games.
Saturday’s game was suspended after the 2nd inning by rain, and planned Sunday starter JR Ritchie resumed the game on the mound for Augusta on Sunday, going 3.2 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and striking out 3.
ROME:
The Emperors resumed their schedule in New York state, dropping two of three games to Hudson Valley and are now 8-16 in the second half. They will play the Brooklyn Cyclones in the city this week for six games.
The Emperors couldn’t have gotten off to a more inauspicious start than Friday, when the team was no-hit by the Renegade pitchers. Despite getting no-hit, the score was 0-0 going into the bottom of the 9th inning when Hudson Valley second baseman Roc Riggio hit a lead-off homer off right-hander Shay Schanaman to walk it off for the Renegades. That was only the fifth hit of the game for Hudson Valley, with left-hander Mitch Farris (6.1 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 SO) and Schanaman (1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) holding the Renegades scoreless until that point.
Rome came off the mat to win Saturday, making the most of 5 hits and taking advantage of two Hudson Valley errors to win 4-3. Right-hander Luis Vargas went 5.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits. Relievers Isaac Gallegos, Jared Johnson, and Ryan Bourassa were terrific, combining to hold Hudson Valley to only 2 hits and 1 unearned run in 5.2 innings as a Drew Compton RBI double in the 11th turned out to be the game-winner.
On Sunday, Hudson Valley got to starter Blake Burkhalter for 3 runs in 5 innings while the offense again was held to 5 hits, the final score 3-1.
MISSISSIPPI:
The Mississippi Braves opened their post-break slate with a weekend road series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. In Friday’s tilt, starting pitcher David Fletcher got himself into early trouble by giving up three first-inning runs but gave up just one more run over his final innings to get out with a quality start and earn his first professional pitching win. The M-Braves made up the deficit with four sixth-inning runs including a three-run home run from catcher Tyler Tolve. Patrick Halligan finished up with two scoreless innings to earn the save.
On Saturday, Mississippi received a standout pitching performance from Lucas Braun, who tossed six scoreless innings, and three relievers to earn a 5-1 victory behind Keshawn Ogans’ three hits and Sebastian Rivero’s two RBI. Outfielder Justin Dean had two of the team’s five stolen bases.
In Sunday’s finale, Drue Hackenberg had one of the best performances in MiLB this season as he gave up just one run and three hits in seven innings with a 2024 MiLB-high of sixteen strikeouts and no walks while throwing 67 of his 90 pitches for strikes. The 16 strikeouts are a new Mississippi Braves single-game franchise record, and the club also established a new team single-game strikeout record with 22 punch-outs on the day. After scoring four runs in the eleventh inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Tyler Tolve, the M-Braves took the game 5-1 to sweep the series and raise their second-half record to 12-9. Outfielder Justin Dean stole three more bases to raise his total to forty on the season. Mississippi now heads to Montgomery to take on the Biscuits this week.
GWINNETT:
The Gwinnett Stripers returned from the break with a short three-game series at home against the Charlotte Knights. After being rained out on Friday night, the two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday. In the first game, Ian Anderson got the start and had his longest outing this season in throwing seventy pitches. Nacho Alvarez, who played third base in all three games this weekend, provided the offense as he came up just a triple short of the cycle as he drove in two runs. Unfortunately, it was not enough as Gwinnett dropped a 5-4 decision. In game two, Zach Logue took the hill as a late replacement for Dylan Dodd, who was promoted to Atlanta on Sunday as an injury replacement for Max Fried. Logue tossed four perfect innings while registering just 37 pitches. However, the only two runs of the game were cored by Charlotte in the seventh inning as Daysbel Hernandez gave up two walks and three hits and he took the loss.
On Sunday, things went much better for the Stripers as they erupted for nine runs over the first three innings on their way to a 10-2 victory. AJ Smith-Shawver took another positive step in his rehab as he tossed 3.2 scoreless innings although his command was rusty, and he threw just 37 of his 68 pitches for strikes. Nacho Alvarez walked three times from the leadoff spot and scored two runs as Luke Williams, Chadwick Tromp, Luke Waddell, and Andrew Velazquez each drove in two runs.
Gwinnett now hits the road this week to take on the Durham Bulls.
POSITION PLAYER of the WEEK:
PITCHER of the WEEK:
Transaction Round-Up
- 7/14/2024: LHP Ben Bowden released by AAA Gwinnett
- 7/19/2024: RHP Taylor Widener activated from the developmental list for AAA Gwinnett
The former Colorado Rockie had a 4.03 ERA in 29 innings out of the Striper bullpen, but was allowing batters a .349 OBP against him.
- 7/15/2024: OF Bryson Worrell assigned to A+ Rome Emperors from AAA Gwinnett; RHP Landon Harper assigned to AA Mississippi from A+ Rome; RHP Tyree Thompson assigned to A Augusta from A+ Rome
Some temporary roster help gets put back at their appropriate assignments.
- 7/15/2024: OF Brian Anderson outrighted to AAA Gwinnett
- 7/16/2024: OF Brian Anderson elects free agency
- 7/19/2024: OF Ramón Laureano activated from the 10-day injured list
The former Marlins line-up staple only got 5 plate appearances for Atlanta. An inopportune bacterial infection cost him his tenuous bench spot in favor of the defensively gifted Laureano.
- 7/15/2024: Draft picks LHP Jacob Kroeger and RHPs Brett Sears, Logan Samuels, and Owen Hackman signed
- 7/19/2024: Draft picks LHP Cam Caminiti and RHP Cayman Goode signed
Expect to see some of these players in the FCL, perhaps as soon as the end of this week.
- 7/15/2024: SS Jose Perdomo assigned to DSL Braves from FCL Braves and activated from the 60-day injured list
The Braves top 2024 international amateur signing suffered a hamstring injury in spring training and is getting to a late start, but he made his eagerly anticipated pro debut last Monday.
- 7/16/2024: OF Jeremy Celedonio released by A Augusta
Celedonio swatted 17 homers for the Greenjackets, but his contact issues exacerbated this season. He started the season with high-A Rome, but an injury on Opening Day and a month-long absence had him sent back to Augusta where he couldn’t get anything going.
The team also announced via social media that OF Pier-Olivier Boucher was released, but that move has not yet appeared on the teams’ transactions page.
- 7/19/2024: C/1B Ryan Casteel retired
The 13-year minor league veteran will be transitioning to coaching for the Stripers per team broadcaster Dave Lezotte. Casteel joined the Braves organization in 2019, hitting 21 home runs for Mississippi that year. He has spent the last four seasons with Gwinnett. He appeared in 14 games with the Stripers this year as an contingency catcher and role player.
- 7/19/2024: OFs Luis Guanipa, Junior Garcia, and IF John Gil assigned to A Augusta from FCL Braves; OF Robert Gonzalez assigned to FCL Braves from A Augusta
Augusta got a completely new top of the order coming out of the break, with teenagers Guanipa, Garcia, and Gil unleashed from the complex leagues. Combined with incumbent outfielder Isaiah Drake, Augusta now has four teenagers regularly batting 1-4. Guanipa was the top Braves international signing in 2023, but like Perdomo he suffered an injury in spring and had a delayed start to the season. Garcia has been the top performer on the FCL squad, while Gil has been one of the hottest hitters.
- 7/21/2024: LHP Max Fried placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 18 (left forearm neuritis); LHP Dylan Dodd recalled from AAA Gwinnett
Fried has indicated that there’s no damage to the arm or elbow and anticipates a short IL stay. Dodd was a late scratch from a scheduled Sunday start.
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