- 18 years old – (LoA Rome)
- 1st round – 2015
- First let me say that the list you are about to see is basically the LoA Rome Braves starting rotation. A pitching staff that steered the Braves to the South Atlantic League title. Soroka racked up the most innings with 143 and posted a 3.02 ERA. He only allowed 3 home runs along with a 3.91 K/BB ratio. His mid-90’s fastball has late sink that kept the ball in the yard, generating a 49 percent ground ball rate.
- 22 years old – (LoA Rome / Double-A Mississippi)
- 7th round – 2015
- The first round picks on this list could all be tagged “Solid Stash” or “Instant Roster Adds”, but Weigel will be the only one to earn it going into 2017. Hopefully our readers will begin to see Weigel’s name appearing on prospect lists heading into 2017; and will remember that he was listed here last season (#2 TPS). I also had him “Just Off the Scope” prior to the 2016 season, so it’s very safe to say….”that the signal is currently quite strong for 2017.” He could’ve gotten lost in the shuffle with the Rome staff, but ended-up being their ace, finishing 10-4 with a 2.51 ERA and 9.4 K9 rate.
- 19 years old – (LoA Rome / Appy Danville / LoA Rome)
- 1st round – 2015
- Allard could be the future anchor that will bring the Braves staff back to prominence. He had a stress injury (back) that only allowed him to make three starts in his pro debut season. The lefty came on like gangbusters in 2016 with a short “refresh” session in the Appy League (3-0, 1.32 ERA, 33 K, 5 BB, 0.841 WHIP) and LoA Rome. Allard displays front-of-the-rotation stuff with a 90-94 mph fastball with excellent movement, a curveball that ranks as the best within the Braves system, and a potential plus-changeup. He’ll still be a teenager (19) throughout the 2017 season and should start at HiA.
- 20 years old – (LoA Rome)
- 1st round – 2014
- Toussaint comes to the Braves by way of Arizona after Atlanta absorbed $10 million of Bronson Arroyo‘s salary. The right-hander should be an important component during the rebuilding of the rotation. During his time with the Diamondbacks, Toussaint seemed to be pushed without proper development. His stuff is deemed “electric” and the Braves are working to refine and improve his mechanics. He made progress in 2016, but his overall stats may indicate a return back to LoA Rome to start 2017. Now that the farm is restocked, there no need to rush Toussaint.
- 19 years old – (LoA Rome)
- International Free Agent – 2013
- Sanchez is another piece of the restocking of the system and he could be the biggest under the radar addition. Sanchez was acquired in a trade (with the Los Angeles Angels in 2015) for former UTR hitter Kyle Kubitza. Although he repeated LoA Rome in 2016, his periphials wouldn’t lead one to expect much from the 19-year-old. He has plenty of stuff, but needs to cut down on the inconsistencies and harness his offerings. I will tread light on Sanchez, as he reminds me of Rafael Montero (NYMets), a UTR that I was very high on back in 2012. Watch Sanchez closely. There’s a lot of room for improvement, especially within this system.
- 22 years old – (LoA Rome)
- 4th round – 2015
- 22 years old – (LoA Rome)
- 31st round – 2015
- 22 years old – (LoA Rome)
- 3rd round – 2013
- The move from a starter to a relief role is underway. An impressive TPS number considering his 10.2 BB/9 rate. Once the free passes start shifting toward strikeouts…Salazar will move quickly.
Under The Radar Minors 