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
ROME:
On the strength of their first-half SAL south division championship Rome matched up against the Bowling Green Hot Rods in a best-of-three playoff series. Unfortunately for the Emperors, the Hot Rods quickly showed that at least at this point in the season they were the stronger team, dispatching Rome in only two games to advance to the next round.
Rome tapped righty Blake Burkhalter, essentially the staff ace in the second half of the season, to start Game One. Rome got an early lead thanks to three consecutive singles to lead off the game, first baseman Drew Compton driving in a run that would turn out the be Rome’s only score for the next 11 innings stretched over the two games. Burkhalter would carry that lead until the 3rd inning when Hot Rods catcher Tatem Levins would go deep to tie the game in what would be Burkhalter’s only blemish. Relievers Riley Frey and Shay Schanaman would each surrender a run and the Emperors would fall 3-1. Compton and left fielder Stephen Paolini would each tally two hits, but all eight of Rome’s hits on the evening would be singles — not enough firepower to bring against the Hot Rods.
Game Two would work out very similarly to Game One. Rome went with JR Ritchie to start the game, and the 21-year-old started the game without his best command, leaving pitches over the plate. Bowling Green would score in the 2nd and the 3rd off Ritchie before Rome would finally answer with a run of their own in the bottom of the 3rd. Third baseman Joe Olsavsky started the inning with a wind-blown double that eluded the gloves of Hot Rod outfielders and would advance to third on a single by catcher Jacob Godman, and then score on a Kevin Kilpatrick groundout. Rome would have a chance for a big inning when DH Jace Grady singled to put Godman at 3rd, but when Compton followed with a slow roller toward the mound, Godman made an ill-advised break to the plate where he was easily tagged out. Second baseman E.J. Exposito would ground out to end the threat. Rome would get no closer. Ritchie would allow another run in the 5th on a wild pitch and reliever Austin Smith would give up one more in the 7th and Rome would bow out of the playoffs quietly with a final score of 4-1.
MISSISSIPPI:
The Mississippi Braves entered their final series in Biloxi under their current identity with an outside chance to still make the playoff if they won five out of six games and Montgomery kept Pensacola from winning more than two games. After losing the first two days due to Hurricane Francine, those hopes were immediately dashed on Thursday as the M-Braves were swept in a doubleheader to end those chances. Mississippi did win the next two games before losing the finale on Sunday to end the second half with a 32-36 record and a 63-73 record for the season.
Landon Harper led off the week for the starting pitchers with two runs given up in four innings of work in his final start before reporting to the Arizona Fall League. David Fletcher was roughed up in the second game of that doubleheader with four runs allowed in just 3.2 innings. Lucas Braun ended his season in tremendous fashion with 5.1 scoreless innings on Friday with just one hit allowed and ten strikeouts. Ian Mejia had similar success on Saturday with 6.1 scoreless innings on just 80 pitches. Drew Parrish finished up the series and season with three runs allowed in four innings on Sunday.
In the pen, Brooks Wilson had two outings where he did not allow a baserunner over 1.2 innings with three strikeouts. Jorge Juan struck out all three batters he faced in his only outing of the week while Jonathan Hughes tossed a scoreless inning to stretch his scoreless outings streak to twelve dating back to July 15th. Jake McSteen had a rough week, giving up seven runs in 1.1 innings over two outings and notching two of the three losses for Mississippi during the week.
Mississippi’s offense mostly showed up this week with 22 runs scored over the five games, led by outfielder Brandon Parker, who was 6-for-10 in three games with three home runs and eight RBI. Outfielder Cody Milligan finished his season with a strong series in which he went 5-for-10 with a double, five walks, a double, a stolen base, and two outfield assists. DH David McCabe’s bat showed some signs of life this week as he went 3-for-14 with two walks, a home run, and two RBI.
GWINNETT:
The Gwinnett Stripers finished off their home slate this season this week with a series against the Buffalo Bisons. After taking the opener on Tuesday, they dropped the next four games before winning Sunday’s finale. The Stripers, now 35-34 in the second half and 10.5 games back of first place, finished up their 2024 season this week with a road series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
The starting pitchers gave up just seven earned runs over 30 innings this week (2.10 ERA) with no starter giving up more than two runs. Ian Anderson led off the week with a good start in which he gave up just one run over six innings of work. Dylan Dodd followed that up with 3.2 innings of one-run-ball on Wednesday while Drue Hackenberg gave up two runs over six innings on Thursday with seven strikeouts. Bryce Elder gave up nine hits over 6.1 innings on Friday but limited the damage to just two runs. Domingo Gonzalez led a bullpen game with two scoreless innings on Saturday while AJ Smith-Shawver wrapped up the series on Sunday with just one run and three runs allowed in six innings.
The bullpen had a rough week as they took losses in three of their four defeats this week. Among the highlights, Domingo Gonzalez had a two-inning scoreless relief outing to go along with his two-inning scoreless start. Ken Giles and Hayden Harris each contributed two one-inning scoreless appearances. Parker Dunshee had a rough week as he gave up six runs (three earned) over 3.1 innings.
The offense scored nineteen runs in their two wins but just seven total in their four losses. Shortstop Nacho Alvarez had three multi-hit games during a 8-for-21 week with four walks and two RBI (.381/.480/.381). Catcher Drake Baldwin went 4-for-18 with a triple, home run, and three RBI (.222/.300/.500). Outfielder JP Martinez showed up a lot in the boxscore during a 5-for-19 week (three home runs, eight RBI, four stolen bases, (.263/.333/.737).
POSITION PLAYER of the WEEK:
PITCHER of the WEEK:
Transaction Round-Up
- 9/9/2024: C Travis d’Arnaud placed on the paternity list; C Chadwick Tromp recalled from AAA Gwinnett
- 9/12/2024: C Travis d’Arnaud activated from the paternity list; C Chadwick Tromp optioned to AAA Gwinnett
Lincoln Theodore d’Arnaud was delivered on the ninth, Travis and his wife with the veteran move of timing the birth on a scheduled off-day followed by a skippable two-day roadtrip. Congratulations to the d’Arnaud family!
- 9/10/2024: RHP Jackson Stephens activated from the 7-day injured list; LHP Brian Moran placed on the developmental list
Stephens had been out since August 19. It was the second IL stint for the veteran who otherwise has had a solid year as late-inning option for the Stripers.
- 9/10/2024: OF Kade Kern assigned to A+ Rome from A Augusta; RHP Adam Maier and LHP Herick Hernandez assigned to FCL Braves from A+ Rome
Kern was added as another bench option for Rome’s playoff run while Maier and Hernandez head to instructionals.
- 9/11/2024: RHP Reynaldo López placed on the 15-day injured list (right shoulder inflammation); RHP Daysbel Hernandez recalled from AAA Gwinnett
López only made it through 1 innings of his start against Washington, showing decreased velocity. Tests after the game just showed inflammation, so there may be chance he could be available if the Braves make the playoffs.
- 9/11/2024: 2B Cavan Biggio selected from AAA Gwinnett; IF Luke Williams optioned to AAA Gwinnett; RHP Jimmy Herget designated for assignment
- 9/13/2024: RHP Jimmy Herget claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs
The Braves decided to bring up the veteran Biggio despite recent solid play from Williams, who had played a larger role in the wake of Whit Merrifield‘s broken foot. It also cost them the services of Jimmy “The Human Glitch” Herget.
- 9/11/2024: IF Yolbert Sanchez assigned to AAA Gwinnett from AA Mississippi; IF Cam Magee assigned to AA Mississippi from A Augusta
Sanchez, a minor league free agent signing this last offseason, has been a solid contributor for the M-Braves and is rewarded with a late-season bump. Magee gets some AA paychecks as an emergency infielder.
- 9/11/2024: IF Luke Waddell activated from the 7-day injured list for AAA Gwinnett; IF Alejo Lopez placed on the 7-day injured list
More Striper infield shuffling.
- 9/13/2024: OF Geraldo Quintero placed on the 7-day injured list for AA Mississippi; IF Colby Jones assigned to AA Mississippi from A+ Rome
Quintero has had a tough time staying on the field in the second half. Jones becomes the first member of the 2024 draft class to get assigned to double-A.
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