January chugs alongside and that may imply just one factor round these elements: it is time to rank minor-league prospects. Each staff throughout the majors is promoting hope to their followers: some are promoting it in a extra rapid trend, within the type of energetic offseasons filled with free-agent signings and commerce acquisitions. Others, in the meantime, are promoting it within the personage of prospects who may make the distinction over the approaching years.
CBS Sports activities is underway analyzing the highest three prospects in every group. Our definition of “prospect” is easy: does that participant have rookie eligibility remaining for the 2025 season? If that’s the case, they seem to be a prospect; if not, that is most likely why your favourite younger participant is absent from the proceedings.
As at all times, these lists are shaped following conversations with scouts, analysts, participant growth specialists, and different expertise evaluators across the business. There is a honest quantity of firsthand analysis, statistical evaluation, and historic analysis combined in, too. Plus a heaping of private bias — all of us have sure traits and profiles that we want over others, there is no sense pretending in any other case.
Remember that there is no one proper reply with these kinds of issues. In addition to, these are merely our opinions, which means they haven’t any precise bearing on the long run. We already printed our rating of the highest 25 prospects in the entire minors.
With all that out of the best way, let’s get to rating the highest three prospects within the Atlanta Braves system.
The brief hook: Strolling and bopping left-handed catcher
Initially a third-round in 2022 from Missouri State College, Baldwin now finds himself on the cusp of his big-league debut. He cut up the season between Double- and Triple-A, hitting .276/.370/.423 with 16 house runs. Baldwin has professional thump, recording a handful of balls with exit velocities over 110 mph, together with a 111.9 mph entry that will have positioned him within the prime 90 most exit velocities within the majors. That sort of energy from a lefty-hitting catcher makes him notable by itself, however that is not all he brings to the desk. He additionally minds the zone properly and grades as a mean defender behind the dish. Atlanta’s determination to half with Travis d’Arnaud clears a pathway for Baldwin to take pleasure in a chronic big-league keep within the bigs this season, with an opportunity for him to take the most-days job as his personal if Sean Murphy once more struggles. MLB ETA: Spring 2025
The brief hook: Large righty with great things
Smith-Shawver edges out Hurston Waldrep (who has a considerably comparable profile) and first-round lefty Cam Caminiti for the crown as one of the best pitching prospect within the Braves system. He is a 6-foot-5 right-hander with a mid-90s fastball and a number of other high quality secondary pitches, together with a splitter and sweeper. Smith-Shawver has battled his command all through his skilled profession, however he threw sufficient strikes final season to check him rising into no less than a mid-rotation future. MLB ETA: Already debuted
3. Nacho Alvarez Jr., 3B
The brief hook: Expert infielder with on-base chops
Alvarez, a former fifth-round decide by the use of Riverside Metropolis School, began the season in Double-A and ultimately reached the majors for an eight-game stretch in July. He did not carry out properly in that restricted pattern, however a season-concluding stint in Triple-A noticed him rebound by hitting .297/.398/.463. Alvarez’s demonstrated energy is unimpressive (he had only one batted ball all season clear 107 mph), however he controls the zone and possesses good bat-to-ball expertise. He additionally profiles as a high quality defender, although it is unclear the place he’ll find yourself defensively given the Braves’ incumbent choices. There’s clearly a big-league participant right here regardless. MLB ETA: Already debuted
