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.