Baseball America Braves Prospect Rankings

here's the fun part though..... if Fried can stay healthy he's about to rocket up some lists.

If his curve is 'Touki--ish' with his velo back around 92-95, strong command and a solid change up, we are talking about one of the better potential pitching prospects in baseball.

Remember he finished his season last year dominating the playoffs.

He was favorably compared to Kershaw when he was drafted.
 
Are there deserving Braves prospects we left off the top 10? Yes. No. 16 on Braves list isn't far behind No. 3.?

Gotta love that quote

yea, the depth of the system is what really stands out.

We aren't necessarily as top heavy as other 'top' systems, but we have to be about the deepest system in baseball.

Its interesting to me that you start looking at preliminary top-30ish lists for Braves prospects and we have this whole other crop of international signings coming up behind that top-30. Everybody is rightly focused on Maitain, but Atlanta also added Severino, Rosario, Guitierrez, Pena, Soto, Contreras... any given year some those guys would be headliners; all were in BAs top-50 international prospects. Its not unrealistic to imagine another top prospect emerging from that group in a couple years.
 
When I read somewhere they moved him to RF to make room for Acuna I though it was odd as I didn't know much about his arm. He's got the tools to be a good one.

Didder played CF when Acuna went down, but Acuna is a much better prospect and he's going to be in CF until he proves he can't play there. Interesting thing about Didder is that he started out in the infield in the DSL and GCL. Moved to the OF at Danville. Curious to see if they try to make him into a utility guy who can play both IF and OF. Interesting skill set and did actually hit a few HRs this year. Deester11 can give you the lowdown as he has seen him play in person.
 
I agree with the first part, but not necessarily the second. During the Braves' dynasty, they got above average offensive performance at positions usually not offensive-centric (Andruw in CF, Javy at C, etc.). While Albies doesn't profile as a power-hitter, he does profile as an above-average bat for average (and by extension OBP). His presence would allow the Braves to slot players at the other positions you mention who may not profile as an optimum offensive performer at that position.

I can understand that. I put CF and C above 2B as well. You can usually find a good 2B easier than you can find a good CF or C as well. Also having a power hitter in CF and or C gives you that option of having a light hitting 2B. If you go with a defensive minded CF with no power at CF and SS you can also do the same at 2B but you need to be getting power from your catcher and corner IF and OF positions to have a power outage at 3 positions.
 
It's possible, but I think he's going to have problems cracking our rotation with our current depth.

Depends on his development. He's got as high a ceiling as anyone in our system. But if the control issues remain then he will get passed by others and probably end up in the pen.
 
Didder played CF when Acuna went down, but Acuna is a much better prospect and he's going to be in CF until he proves he can't play there. Interesting thing about Didder is that he started out in the infield in the DSL and GCL. Moved to the OF at Danville. Curious to see if they try to make him into a utility guy who can play both IF and OF. Interesting skill set and did actually hit a few HRs this year. Deester11 can give you the lowdown as he has seen him play in person.

Didder had a pretty special year in the outfield last year. I wouldn't start moving him around until you have more info on him. His arm is a true talent and he needs to be in CF or RF. I know his power is not set for RF but his arm is.
 
In the scouting reports section, they mention that Acuna will likely start in High-A this year and they're using his time in Australia to make up for the lost time he had in Rome this year.
 
Didder played CF when Acuna went down, but Acuna is a much better prospect and he's going to be in CF until he proves he can't play there. Interesting thing about Didder is that he started out in the infield in the DSL and GCL. Moved to the OF at Danville. Curious to see if they try to make him into a utility guy who can play both IF and OF. Interesting skill set and did actually hit a few HRs this year. Deester11 can give you the lowdown as he has seen him play in person.

I saw where he went from no HR's in 2 years to 6 last year. There may be a little pop in there if he's hitting the weights.

Even if he can't hack it in the IF he could have a role as a 4th Of'er if he has the speed and range to play CF and the arm to play RF.
 
Didder had a pretty special year in the outfield last year. I wouldn't start moving him around until you have more info on him. His arm is a true talent and he needs to be in CF or RF. I know his power is not set for RF but his arm is.

I agree. I was just spitballing given that Didder's early pro career (and amateur career in Aruba) had him in the IF. It's all going to be about hitting for him. He can't rely on getting hit by pitches to get on base as he moves up.
 
I agree. I was just spitballing given that Didder's early pro career (and amateur career in Aruba) had him in the IF. It's all going to be about hitting for him. He can't rely on getting hit by pitches to get on base as he moves up.

Love his plate discipline and speed combo. Like you noted, if the power improves then he could be real interesting.
 
I saw where he went from no HR's in 2 years to 6 last year. There may be a little pop in there if he's hitting the weights.

Even if he can't hack it in the IF he could have a role as a 4th Of'er if he has the speed and range to play CF and the arm to play RF.

He broke out last year. His OBP was insane with 89 bases not via a hit. 40 OF assists (
 
I agree. I was just spitballing given that Didder's early pro career (and amateur career in Aruba) had him in the IF. It's all going to be about hitting for him. He can't rely on getting hit by pitches to get on base as he moves up.

But I want him to keep getting hit.. Dude is like a tractor beam at the plate. I think Acuna starts in Rome and Didder will be with the Fire Frogs..
 
Wonder if that's an indictment of him or the guys who moved above him. I still think Newcomb has TOR ability.

I think it is both of course. others passed him while he just spun his wheels. I read a few articles that said he made a change mid season that really helped improve his second half. I am hoping that carries over and he becomes his potential.
 
Wonder if that's an indictment of him or the guys who moved above him. I still think Newcomb has TOR ability.

I think it's just what you see when people are hoping a prospect will take that next step forward and they don't. A lot of people wanted to see Newcomb get his BB rate down to around 3.00. Show that he's refining his mechanics and getting his release point down. He hasn't done that yet but that hardly means he's not going to be able to. But players rarely simply sit on prospect lists. If they're no heading up they're heading down. So in spite of the fact that Newcomb is still a big lefty with electric stuff who racks up the K's and gives up few HRs, the lack of progress in his control will move him down lists.

If he comes out this year and shows the ability to avoid those times where he walks 3 in a stretch of 4 batters, he'll rocket up the lists.
 
I think it's just what you see when people are hoping a prospect will take that next step forward and they don't. A lot of people wanted to see Newcomb get his BB rate down to around 3.00. Show that he's refining his mechanics and getting his release point down. He hasn't done that yet but that hardly means he's not going to be able to. But players rarely simply sit on prospect lists. If they're no heading up they're heading down. So in spite of the fact that Newcomb is still a big lefty with electric stuff who racks up the K's and gives up few HRs, the lack of progress in his control will move him down lists.

If he comes out this year and shows the ability to avoid those times where he walks 3 in a stretch of 4 batters, he'll rocket up the lists.

Agreed. I think Newcomb has become underrated based on what I've read on these boards. You never know what the Braves asked him to work on. Statistics for minor league pitchers are deceiving. Remember how great Chuck James was in the minors?
 
yea, the depth of the system is what really stands out.

We aren't necessarily as top heavy as other 'top' systems, but we have to be about the deepest system in baseball.

Its interesting to me that you start looking at preliminary top-30ish lists for Braves prospects and we have this whole other crop of international signings coming up behind that top-30. Everybody is rightly focused on Maitain, but Atlanta also added Severino, Rosario, Guitierrez, Pena, Soto, Contreras... any given year some those guys would be headliners; all were in BAs top-50 international prospects. Its not unrealistic to imagine another top prospect emerging from that group in a couple years.

And I've said it again and again, but we definitely do have the kind of prospects who can eventually make us as good at the top as other systems as well. Allard, Maitan, Newcomb, Acuna, Touki, Fried, Anderson, Wentz...these guys could all become top prospects if they develop the way they're capable of.
 
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