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MLB Top Prospects That Are Having A Rough Start To 2017

By Benjamin Chase

Apr 17, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) celebrates a walk-off single against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning at SunTrust Park. The Braves defeated the Padres 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) celebrates a walk-off single against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning at SunTrust Park. The Braves defeated the Padres 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves

Considered the future double play partner with Swanson, most figured it was just a matter of when the 20 year-old would ascend to the major leagues, not if, in 2017. After all, he’d won a batting title in AA at age 19 and was one of the elite prospects in the game, rated #13 in CTTP’s preseason list.

Instead, Albies started well, but he’s fallen flat since, and at this writing, he’s hitting .252/.274/.393 with a home run and 8 stolen bases. More concerning are two other numbers – a 3.5% walk rate and a 24.6% strikeout rate. Both of those numbers are nearly twice the worst rate posted in his career before this season.

Albies does have a contact-oriented approach, and he’s likely never going to be a guy to walk 15% of the time, but his contact skills from both sides of the plate should allow for him to keep his strikeout rate closer to the low teens and his walk rate near ten.

One positive on the season has been that he has shown tremendous skills on the bases, going nearly all of April before he was caught on the base paths for the first time on April 30th.

Of course, then there was this very interesting video from Braves legend Chipper Jones on Albies’ readiness for MLB:

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