3. 3B Austin Riley – David Freese
Upon arriving in Mississippi in July, Austin Riley reached a new height regarding minor league performance, and his momentum carried over to the Arizona Fall League, where be batted .300 with six home runs and eighteen RBI in 17 games. However, I don’t think that he’s going to be a superstar as some Atlanta Braves fans have suggested.
Just because he won’t be a superstar, though, doesn’t mean Riley can’t contribute at the MLB level. David Freese, although drafted as an upperclassman out of college, reminds me a lot of Austin Riley. Riley’s defense may wind up being a bit better, but, much like Freese, I’m expecting him to be a solid, everyday player, but not too much more than that.
Freese has been good for 10-15 home runs every year since 2011 and clubbed 20 in 2012, his best season. Freese is a career .274 hitter with an OPS+ of 109, and that’s about what Austin Riley will be for the Atlanta Braves.