Atlanta Braves: Tyler Wilson’s Top-30 MLB prospects list

‘Tis the season to release prospect lists! With just a few short months until the season begins, it’s about time to for fans to get a good idea of where the Braves’ top prospects stand .

The Atlanta Braves have *arguably* the best farm system in baseball, and most definitely the best prospect in baseball. However, because the Braves’ system is so deep, there are seemingly a hundred different ways to rank the best from one to thirty.

In this article, I’ll do my best not to upset anyone (I’m probably going to bother several people) while also doing my best to rank thirty Atlanta Braves prospects in the order that I believe they belong.

There will most definitely be guys both higher and lower than some of you think they should be, but that’s entirely okay. Now, this is just a list by some 20-grade Braves blogger that doesn’t know what the heck he’s talking about most of the time.

Without further ado (yes, this is my go-to phrase), I present to you my freezing-cold take on the Atlanta Braves’ top-30 MLB prospects list!

30. Corbin Clouse – Left-Handed Relief Pitcher

Between high-A and double-A, Corbin Clouse was a strikeout-machine in 2017. Unfortunately, he was also a bit of a walk-machine, issuing 5.4 free passes per nine innings over 57 innings of work. Despite all of the walks, Clouse pitched to a 2.53 ERA and allowed just two home runs all year (both in double-A).

The 22-year-old struggled in the Arizona Fall League following the 2017 regular season, giving up 18 runs in 22 innings, although he may have been a bit fatigued from the workload he took on over the course of the season. Overall, Clouse took significant steps in 2017 towards becoming an MLB reliever.

29. Jared James – Outfielder

Jared James‘ solid season with double-A Mississippi was overshadowed by the performance of higher-ranking prospects, but it should not be forgotten. The 23-year-old outfielder held his own in 2017, slashing .279/.352/.415 in 113 games (383 PA), collecting 30 extra-base hits over that span.

James’ respectable 8.6% walk rate and fairly low 14.6% strikeout rate through 173 minor league games may get him further than anything else, but he certainly hasn’t disappointed when he puts wood on the ball. A .415 slugging percentage for a guy that only weighs 185 pounds at 6-foot-1 is impressive, and if he can put on a few extra pounds of muscle, his power numbers could improve.

28. Thomas Burrows – Left-Handed Relief Pitcher

2017 was Thomas Burrows‘ first year in a Braves uniform, and he did not disappoint a soul. After posting a 2.16 ERA and 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings, the former University of Alabama closer may be on the fast track to the MLB. Burrows has an excellent chance to be in an Atlanta Braves uniform by mid-2019, if not September of 2018.

The way things are looking right now, the Braves are grooming Burrows to be a multi-inning guy, and that certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing to have at the Major League level. I’m expecting Burrows to spend about a month at high-A Florida before being bumped up to Mississippi, where he will be put to the ultimate test.

27. Tyler Neslony – Outfielder

“Neslony the Pony,” as some have called him, Tyler Neslony may perhaps be one of the most slept-on prospects in the Atlanta Braves’ system. He struggled mightily in 43 games with Mississippi, batting just .194 in 167 plate appearances, but his .309/.378/.442 slash line in 60 high-A games (241 PA) is reason enough to be high on the soon-to-be 24-year-old.

Although Neslony struggled to put good wood on the ball with Mississippi, he improved his walk rate from 9.1% at high-A to 10.7% with Mississippi. That alone shows that he possesses the plate discipline necessary to improve vastly in what will most likely be a full double-A season in 2018.

26. Tyler Pike – Left-Handed Starting Pitcher

Yet another Tyler that struggled after being promoted from Florida to Mississippi, Tyler Pike comes in at number-26 on this list. Pike posted a 2.20 ERA in 12 high-A starts before being promoted to double-A, where it seemed the lefty lost his control. Pike walked 7.6 batters per nine innings in 15 starts with Mississippi but also saw a jump in strikeouts.

Scarily enough, this was Pike’s third double-A stint (first in the Braves’ organization), and his time may be running out to put a good season together. 2018 will be a make-or-break season for Tyler Pike, and Braves fans can only hope that he’ll finally put it together.

25. Anfernee Seymour – Outfielder

Anfernee Seymour is a speed-first outfielder with minimal power, but his speed could prove valuable if he’s able to hit consistently all the way through the minor leagues. Seymour batted .282 with 18 doubles, five triples, and a home run in 110 games (472 PA) between class-A Rome and high-A Florida.

Seymour’s ability to get on base complements his speed well, but the question remains as to whether or not he will be able to perform at this level beyond high-A. The 2018 season will paint a better picture of the direction his career is headed in.

24. Willam Contreras – Catcher

William Contreras is the younger brother of highly-regarded Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, and although he has yet to make it past rookie ball, the 20-year-old Venezuelan backstop slashed .290/.379/.432 with 10 doubles, a triple, and four homers over 198 plate appearances with Danville in 2017.

Contreras hasn’t yet shown an exceptional ability to control baserunners, posting just a 23% caught stealing rate in 2017. However, he’s still a kid and has plenty of time to develop arm strength before anyone’s ready to consider moving him from behind the plate.

23. Tucker Davidson – Left-Handed Pitcher

Tucker Davidson began the 2017 season as in a relief role with the Class-A Rome Braves but was converted into a starter halfway through the season when the opportunity presented itself. Davidson pitched his way to a 2.60 ERA in 31 games with Rome (12 starts, 19 relief appearances, 103.2 innings), and walked just 2.6 batters per nine innings.

Davidson is entering his age-22 season, and will probably pitch his way to Mississippi before the end of the 2018 season. He showed in 2017 that he’s capable of pitching deep into games as a starter, but we’ll see how Davidson is treated in 2018.

22. Drew Lugbauer – Catcher/Corner Infielder

“Slugbauer,” as some have called Drew Lugbauer, had a great 2017 season offensively, racking up 29 extra-base hits in 60 games (253 PA). A .514 slugging percentage turned plenty of heads, but Lugbauer’s defensive ability behind the plate is a big question mark.

Long-term, I see Drew Lugbauer as a corner infielder, and he played almost as many innings at first base (210.1) as he did at third base and behind the plate combined (234.2). Wherever he’s placed defensively won’t have any impact on his offensive production though, and so far that’s been tremendous. It will be interesting to see how Lugbauer is handled in 2018.

21. Travis Demeritte – Infielder

After receiving an 80-game PED suspension in 2015, Travis Demeritte bounced back in 2016 by slugging 28 home runs as a member of the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves organizations. 2017, however, was a different story, as Demeritte saw his slugging percentage drop a whopping 152 points from .554 in 2016 to .402 in 2017.

A .231 average in 2017 may be a sign that Demeritte has “lost his edge” following ceasing his PED consumption, but 2018 may tell a different story for the 23-year-old. If he craps out another mediocre year in 2018, Demeritte will ultimately be labeled a bust, but there’s still a small sliver of hope for Braves fans.

17. Alex Jackson – Catcher/Outfielder

Also known as “AJax” (no, not the dish soap; also no, not the villain from Deadpool), Alex Jackson impressed many with his .480 slugging percentage in 96 games (402 PA) between high-A and double-A. His 19 home runs and 21 doubles in 2017 were both career bests. AJax’s .513 slugging percentage in the Arizona Fall League also raised some eyebrows.

While his future as a backstop is not certain, Jackson’s bat may land him an opportunity to start in a corner outfield position for the Atlanta Braves one day. However, he’ll have to further prove himself as a hitter in double-A and triple-A before anyone’s ready to cross that bridge.

16. Akeel Morris – Right-Handed Relief Pitcher

Akeel Morris had a brief stint in the MLB in 2017 in which he posted a 1.23 ERA in 8 relief outings, but was sent down in puzzling fashion following his misuse by manager Brian Snitker. Personally, Morris is my favorite relief prospect in the Braves’ system, and his change-up could be devastating as an MLB reliever.

Between double-A and triple-A in 2017, Morris owned a 2.65 ERA and was striking out more than a batter per inning. The 25-year-old righty showed no signs of regression following his demotion back to Triple-A and looks ready to go for the 2018 MLB season.

15. Drew Waters – Outfielder

All surrounding controversy aside, Drew Waters is a dang stud. At 18 years-old, Waters slashed .278/.362/.429 in rookie ball with 14 doubles, two triples, and four home runs in just 50 games (224 PA). While Waters was able to rack up the extra-base hits, he was also able to rack up the strikeouts.

After putting up a God-awful 31.3% strikeout rate in rookie ball, it’s apparent that Drew Waters was a bit too free-swinging. Although his seemingly fearless approach at the plate paid off quite often, he’ll need to work on turning some of those strikeouts into productive outs in 2018. If he can do that, Waters could find himself in Atlanta by 2021.

14. Kyle Muller – Left-Handed Starting Pitcher

Kyle Muller ran into shoulder problems near the end of the 2017 season, and I’d like to think that there were minor shoulder-related issues throughout the entire season that contributed to his mediocre showing at Rookie-level Danville. Muller was only 19 for the entirety of the 2017 season, though, and still has plenty of time to develop.

The thing that excites me the most about Kyle Muller his 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame paired with his left-handedness. If there’s one thing I absolutely love, it’s a big ol’ lefty, and Muller fits the profile to a T. Assuming he’s healthy for all of 2018, I’m expecting a great year with Class-A Rome, and possibly a late-season promotion to high-A.

13. A.J. Minter – Left-Handed Relief Pitcher

With a slider that I’ve lightly compared to Andrew Miller‘s, A.J. Minter is much better than his 2017 minor league stats show. Injuries played a part in Minter’s sub-optimal 4.44 ERA across four minor league levels in 2017, but once he got to Atlanta in late August, he was just fine.

Minter posted a 3.00 ERA in 16 appearances in an Atlanta Braves uniform (15.0 innings), allowing just a baserunner per inning over that span. If he can produce a full, healthy season as an Atlanta Brave, minter could assume the team’s closer role as soon as 2019. The 24-year-old lefty has loads of potential.

12. Touki Toussaint – Right-Handed Starting Pitcher

Near the end of the 2017 season, Touki Toussaint finally showed that there might be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel that is his minor league career. Although he posted a 5.04 ERA with the high-A Fire Frogs, that number dropped almost a full two points to 3.18 in seven starts (39.2 IP) with Mississippi.

Touki’s numbers, however, do not do him enough justice. This curveball is a prime example of why many have deemed Toussaint’s ceiling one of the highest in the Atlanta Braves’ system. The movement on Toussaint’s pitches is unreal, and if/when he gets those pitches under control, hitters are in big trouble.

11. Bryse Wilson – Right-Handed Starting Pitcher

Bryse Wilson had perhaps the best season of any pitcher in the Atlanta Braves’ system, although Luiz Gohara was awarded the organizations Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award for an equally impressive season. A former high school football player, Wilson is fearless and will go after any batter aggressively.

In 26 starts (137.0 IP) with class-A Rome, Bryse Wilson was phenomenal, posting a 2.50 ERA, 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings, and just 2.4 walks per nine innings. His impeccable control may one day land him a spot in Atlanta’s rotation, though I have a gut feeling he will transition himself into a successful MLB reliever.

10. Ian Anderson – Right-Handed Starting Pitcher

At 19 years-old, Ian Anderson produced an impressive season in Rome (Georgia, not Italy), 3.14 ERA in 20 starts (83 IP). While the Braves were careful to limit a young Anderson’s innings, he capitalized on what opportunities he was given in 2017.

Ian Anderson still has some growing to do, though. At 6-foot-3, he’s listed at just 170 pounds, and it’s hard to imagine such a lanky frame having success at high minor league levels. Anderson’s deemed a “wait for it” prospect due to his body not being fully matured, but once he develops, his full potential will be unleashed.

9. Austin Riley – Third Baseman

After racking up an impressive 61 extra-base hits with Rome in 2016, Austin Riley came back down to earth a bit in 2017. The 20-year-old third hot corner occupant still managed to notch his second consecutive 20-homer season but was only able to muster up 19 doubles, compared to the 39 he hit in 2016.

From his promotion to double-A through his time in the Arizona Fall League (65 games, 280 PA), Riley batted .310 with 14 doubles, two triples, and 14 home runs, giving fans hope that the void left by Chipper Jones at third base will soon be filled. We’ll see how Riley does with Mississippi and Gwinnett in 2018, and if all goes well, he could be up as early as September.

8. Max Fried – Left-Handed Starting Pitcher

Max Fried did not impress in the minor leagues in 2017, posting just a 5.54 ERA in 21 starts between Mississippi and Gwinnett, but the soon-to-be 24-year-old owned 3.81 ERA after arriving at the MLB, where he pitched in a combination of starting assignments and relief appearances.

What has me excited, though, is Fried’s dominant performance in the Arizona Fall League. The lanky lefty posted a 1.73 ERA in 12 starts (50.0 IP) in the AFL, turning in perhaps the most dominant performance by a starting pitcher against some of baseball’s top prospects. It will be interesting to see how Fried’s abilities are put to use by the Atlanta Braves, who will inevitably run into a logjam of pitching sometime in 2018.

7. Joey Wentz – Left-Handed Starting Pitcher

Joey Wentz perhaps matched Bryse Wilson’s effectiveness at 19 years-old with Rome in 2017. The lefty put up a 2.60 ERA to go along with 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 26 starts (131.2 IP) with the Rome Braves and maybe the best left-handed pitching prospect in the Atlanta Braves’ system.

Entering his age-20 season, Joey Wentz’s skills will be put to the test against more talented hitters in high-A and eventually double-A, and if he matches the production of the double-A pitching prospects before him, things will get very interesting once he and fellow youngster Bryse Wilson are knocking on the door to the MLB.

6. Cristian Pache – Outfielder

My favorite low-level prospect in the Atlanta Braves’ system may be Cristian Pache. I recently caught some harsh criticism after comparing Pache to former MLB star Grady Sizemore, but I’m sticking to my prediction that Pache will eventually develop at least 20-homer power. In 119 games (514 PA) with Rome, an 18-year-old Pache batted .281 with 13 doubles, eight triples, and 32 stolen bases. Once Pache puts on some weight, we’ll see if he’s capable of hitting for power.

Even if Pache doesn’t develop power like I think he will, his 70-grade speed and defense will help him on his way to the MLB tremendously, and his smooth, quick swing will only increase the likelihood that he finds success as a hitter. Pache could very well turn into a Billy Hamilton-type player that can hit for a higher average, and I’m sure everyone would be okay with that.

5. Kolby Allard – Left-Handed Starting Pitcher

Still just 20 years-old, Kolby Allard has known nothing but success since donning a Braves’ uniform. The lefty owns a career 3.03 ERA in the minor leagues, making it as far as double-A in his age-19 season. Though he’s only amassed 243.2 innings of work since graduating from high school, it’s apparent that Allard is quite special.

Kolby Allard is a small-ish 6-foot-1, 190-pound lefty, but his curveball packs quite the punch, and he can command it with ease. Allard posted a 3.18 ERA and just 2.7 walks per nine innings through 27 starts (150 IP) with double-A Mississippi, and he’s one of two surefire starting pitchers in the Atlanta Braves’ organization that will get their first taste of MLB action in 2018, and don’t expect Allard to disappoint.

4. Mike Soroka – Right-Handed Starting Pitcher

The other starter looking for his chance to make an impact on the MLB club is the Canadian right-hander, Mike Soroka. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound sinkerballer bested Allard’s double-A numbers in 2017, cruising to a 2.75 ERA and a minuscule 2.0 walks per nine innings in 26 starts (153.2 IP).

Perhaps the most well-rounded and polished pitcher in the Atlanta Braves’ organization, Mike Soroka will be a special player once he reached the Major Leagues. Enough can’t be said about his effectiveness since becoming a Brave, but it’s best to let his 2018 performance do most of the talking, as it will be nothing short of spectacular.

3. Kyle Wright – Right-Handed Starting Pitcher

The Atlanta Braves selected Kyle Wright with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft with the hopes of acquiring an MLB-ready arm that they can fast track to the big leagues, and they may have found just that with the 22-year-old. In his first season as a Brave, Wright managed to put up a 2.65 ERA between rookie-level and high-A (albeit only 17 innings of work), skipping Rome entirely.

Kyle Wright will likely start the 2018 season with high-A Florida, but will quickly move up if he shows that he’s capable of pitching as he did in 2017. Some mock drafts had Wright being the first overall pick in the draft, and it’s a miracle that he fell to the Atlanta Braves, and now the team hopes to make the most of their opportunity with Wright. We could see him in Atlanta as early as September of 2018.

2. Luiz Gohara – Left-Handed Starting Pitcher

I’ll go ahead and say it: C.C.Sabathia. It cannot be avoided, and I won’t try and avoid it. Just about everyone is comparing Luiz Gohara to C.C. Sabathia, and rightfully so. Although his baby fat is still intact, Gohara’s build resembles that of a young Sabathia, and his stuff matches up almost perfectly. The 21-year-old lefty has an electric fastball and devastating slider that can make even the most fearless of hitters’ knees buckle.

Gohara owned a 2.62 ERA and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings in 26 games (25 starts, 123.2 IP) across three minor league levels, ultimately finishing the 2017 campaign in Atlanta, where he was able to leave his mark. Despite his 4.91 ERA in 5 starts with Atlanta, Gohara passed the eye test, which is all that matters. He had his pitches under control and was able to make quite a few batters look silly with that nasty slider. He’ll be a part of the Opening Day rotation for sure.

1. Ronald Acuña – Outfielder

At long last, we’ve reached the best prospect in all of baseball, Ronald Acuña. There are no words to describe how breathtakingly dominant Ronnie Baseball was in 2017. The 19-year-old owned a .325/.374/.522 slash line in 139 games (612 PA), and tallied 31 doubles, eight triples, and 21 home runs across three minor league levels. Did I mention he was only 19??

Now, at just 20 years-old, the only question surrounding the phenom is when he will arrive in Atlanta. It’s likely that the Atlanta Braves will toy with Acuña’s MLB service time to gain an extra year of club control, but it’s also rumored that there’s a chance that they’ll keep him down long enough to impact his Super Two status, which I believe is highly unlikely. Nevertheless, when he arrives, Braves fans (including myself) will be ecstatic.

Atlanta Braves Prospects recap

It’s easy to see that the Atlanta Braves’ farm system is stacked, and clearly one of the best systems in all of the baseball. While at the same time,  not every prospect can pan out the way fans and scouts hope for them to, there’s a great chance that a handful of these guys will eventually lead the Braves to great success.

Next: How does the Gerrit Cole trade affect the Yankees?

One thing is for sure, though: Win or lose, the Atlanta Braves and their fans are in for one heck of a 2018 season. From MLB debuts to improvements from 2017, to a potential MVP run for one Freddie Freeman, fans will have more than enough to cheer for and smile about over the course of 162 games.