Braves prospect Fried quite impressive early in fall league

Braves prospect Max Fried has 11 strikeouts and only four hits allowed in eight scoreless innings after two starts in the  Arizona Fall League (AP file photo)

Braves prospect Max Fried has 11 strikeouts and only four hits allowed in eight scoreless innings after two starts in the  Arizona Fall League (AP file photo)

Braves prospect Max Fried has more experience than most pitchers in the Arizona Fall League, and it’s showing.

The left-hander has been perhaps the most impressive pitcher in the first week of play in the prospect-laden league.

Fried, 23, allowed just one hit one hit and one walk in five scoreless innings Monday in his second start for the Peoria Javelinas. That gave him a league-high 11 strikeouts with two walks and four hits allowed in eight scoreless innings.

In nine late-season major league games (four starts) for the Braves, Fried posted a 3.81 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 12 walks in 26 innings, including a 3.44 ERA as a starter.

That despite having no experience above Double-A before he was promoted to the majors in early August.

Eight Braves prospects – four pitchers, four position players -- are on the Peoria AFL roster including another of the Braves’ top young arms, right-hander Touki Toussaint, who has eight strikeouts with two walks and no hits allowed in four scoreless innings over his first two appearances.