Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Braves center-field prospect Jordan Schafer hasn't faced Johan Santana in real life, but has hit against the left-hander countless times on an advanced (and expensive) pitching machine Schafer bought three years ago.

Whether or not he gets a hit against the New York Mets' new ace when he finally faces Santana in person, Schafer believes it was a wise investment to spend some $90,000 on a ProBatter pitching machine and elaborate batting cage he keeps in a rented warehouse in his hometown of Haines City, Fla.

"It's awesome," Schafer said of the machine, which features video of selected major league pitchers delivering any pitch in their repertoires. The batter selects a pitch, which is delivered at what is supposed to be a realistic replication of velocity and movement.

"It's really helped me a lot," Schafer said of his private hitters' haven, housed about 30 minutes from the Braves' Disney World spring training headquarters. It's so close that Schafer drove over to take some extra hitting Tuesday night, long after he'd hit in the Braves' batting cages that morning.

Several major league teams use the ProBatter machine, but the Braves don't. Matt Diaz has used Schafer's many times and said it's a very realistic simulation of individual pitchers.

There's no way to know how much it's helped Schafer, but he's obviously doing something right.

He had a breakout season in 2007 to shoot up Baseball America's Braves prospect list, to No. 1 from No. 27 a year ago. He hit a combined .312 with 49 doubles, 10 triples, 15 home runs and 63 RBIs in 136 games at Class A Rome and high-Class A Myrtle Beach.

He's a non-roster invitee not expected to make the team. Schafer will try to impress team officials for as long as he's in big league camp, while soaking up everything he can from coaches and veterans.

He's already had conversations with center fielder Mark Kotsay, who was acquired in a winter trade from Oakland to bridge what's likely to be a one-year transition from former Braves center fielder Andruw Jones and Schafer, who should be ready by 2009 — or sooner, if necessary.

"I'm ready to get going, see what I can do," said Schafer, who wasn't surprised when the Braves traded for Kotsay in January, given Schafer's age (21) and lack of high-minors experience.

"I've already told him I'm going to pick his brain, learn from him," Schafer said of Kotsay.

Schafer worked out several times during the winter with Diaz, who lives in Winter Haven, Fla., about 20 minutes from Schafer's house. Diaz said the slender Schafer is a workout animal who sometimes spent late nights hitting on his pitching machine.