2024 Minor League Thread

[zbhargrove]

Baumann: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

Wish the Ks were a little higher, but a great first pro season for him so far.

Yeah hopefully he has a bit of the Schwellenbach progression... his K-rate has improved steadily. Baumann is only 19, though... so early on it's just great to see him not walking people.

[bravesfanMatt]

I will take low K rates if you aren’t walking anyone. There are plenty of successful pitcher with K rates under 9 per. Pre couldn’t get healthy Soroka was a lower K guy.

[zbhargrove]

Guess Murphy didn’t pitch today. I had thought I had seen he was scheduled but I guess not.

[CJ9]

Longenhagen updated the top 100 at Fangraphs. Owen Murphy didn't make it but he was listed as one who was in consideration for the list:

Owen Murphy, RHP, Atlanta Braves

Murphy was a Pick to Click and he’s off to a fantastic start at High-A Rome, but he hasn’t yet shown a consistently good slider. His vertical fastball and curveball combo is very promising on its own, and Murphy’s arm action is the sort generally well-suited for changeup development, but he and the Braves seem focused on developing that slider right now, and it’s still only okay.

[CJ9]

Didier Fuentes’ turn to dominate tonight. 18-year-old in Augusta: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K. 62 pitches so likely not done either.

Current ERA is down to 1.93 this season.

[msstate7]

Waldrep off to a good start again tonight. Might be time to get a little excited... in May so far...
22.0 ip 17 h 2 er 4 bb 18 k

K numbers not great, but love that whip

[Tapate50]

Sean Murphy hit a bomb first ab of rehab stint

[Tapate50]

Didier Fuentes’ turn to dominate tonight. 18-year-old in Augusta: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K. 62 pitches so likely not done either.

Current ERA is down to 1.93 this season.

Lawd

[msstate7]

Waldrep off to a good start again tonight. Might be time to get a little excited... in May so far...
22.0 ip 17 h 2 er 4 bb 18 k

K numbers not great, but love that whip

Tonight start done...
6.1 ip 4 h 0 er 1 bb 8 k

[zbhargrove]

Waldrep off to a good start again tonight. Might be time to get a little excited... in May so far...
22.0 ip 17 h 2 er 4 bb 18 k

K numbers not great, but love that whip

Goes beyond May... he's been fantastic since his first couple rough starts:

Great to see Fuentes still having some success... was one of the few International pitchers that really showed promise.

[msstate7]

I hope we learn from AJSS last year and don't rush Waldrep

[zbhargrove]

I hope we learn from AJSS last year and don't rush Waldrep

Waldrep is much more polished... was a college arm and has already had significantly more success in the upper minors than AJSS... he was always thought to be a fast mover.

[50PoundHead]

Waldrep is much more polished... was a college arm and has already had significantly more success in the upper minors than AJSS... he was always thought to be a fast mover.

Waldrep threw more than 200 innings in college so he is much further along than Smith-Shawver, who didn't pitch much until his senior year in high school and was in the big leagues with less than 100 minor league innings. I'm not saying Waldrep is ready, but he has considerably more experience on the mound when compared to Smith-Shawver. Curious what the Braves do with Waldrep. He keeps throwing like he has his last few starts and they will likely promote him to Gwinnett and after that it's all going to depend on whether the Braves think filling the 5th-starter role is a high enough priority to bring up Waldrep.

[Tapate50]

So far this year the pitching in the minors has lived up to the billing. The hitting …. Ummmmm yeah the pitchers are doing great!

[seanyates]

I think this was mentioned earlier in the thread, but I listened to a podcast with Garrett Spain the other day and he basically said the Braves have instructed AJSS and Waldrep to not use their best pitches in order to develop other pitches. If that's true, it helps explain the struggles of AJSS and the lack of Ks for Waldrep.

[msstate7]

I think this was mentioned earlier in the thread, but I listened to a podcast with Garrett Spain the other day and he basically said the Braves have instructed AJSS and Waldrep to not use their best pitches in order to develop other pitches. If that's true, it helps explain the struggles of AJSS and the lack of Ks for Waldrep.

That's weird to me. Seems it should be limited to 1 pitch per PA or something for best pitch. Wanna keep that pitch being good

[Tapate50]

They have done that for years

[bravesfanMatt]

yeah, I am not sure I like the idea of eliminating your best pitch to improve others. Isn't the whole process of pitching is learning to incorporate a mix that works best for you. I would think development would be something like work on control and improving all your pitches while learning to mix them in a more effective and efficient way.

[Carp]

They have done that for years

I recall when everyone freaked out with Teheran struggled in AAA in 2012, despite reports he was working specifically on his slider and other secondary pitches.

[thethe]

I recall when everyone freaked out with Teheran struggled in AAA in 2012, despite reports he was working specifically on his slider and other secondary pitches.

Remember when Tommy Hanson was allowed to throw his slider in AA for the first time? Woof....