Braves have four prospects in Baseball America’s top 100

The Braves’ farm system is starting to get more credit.

Baseball America unveiled its top 100 prospects, updated for June, and it includes four young Braves players: infielder Tate Southisene, outfielder Eric Hartman, starter Cam Caminiti and starter JR Ritchie.

Southisene, the team’s first-round pick from last summer, entered the list at No. 95 overall. Hartman, who’d cracked the top 100 in the previous update, has risen to No. 62. Caminiti, their 2024 first-rounder, dropped from No. 51 to No. 77 after an uneven start to the campaign. Ritchie, who’s made his MLB debut this season, is No. 58.

A Nevada native, Southisene has excelled in his first full minor league season. He’s hit .296 with a .932 OPS in Low-A Augusta. He’s already stolen 36 bases on 43 attempts. Southisene intrigues with his athletic ability and routine hard contact. At just 19, his realized potential is worth dreaming about.

Hartman, 19, has been the system’s breakout star. The Braves took him in the final round (20th) of the 2024 draft and he’s looking like one of their best finds in recent memory. The Canadian has hit .292 with a .931 OPS for High-A Rome. His speed and power combination has been extremely effective — he’s belted 13 homers while stealing 20 bases. He notably had a three-homer game earlier this year.

Caminiti was the team’s top-ranked prospect entering the season. He has a 5.16 ERA in 45⅓ innings with Rome. He’s struck out 44 and walked 21. He’s fared better recently, so perhaps the surface-level stats will look better soon. The lefty has massive upside — No. 1 starter-level stuff is developed properly. The Braves were giddy to see him fall to No. 24 in 2024, and he was the first prep pitcher selected.

Ritchie is having the year many expected, splitting time between Triple-A Gwinnett and the majors. He’s made five starts with the Braves, posting a 4.56 ERA with 21 strikeouts against 16 walks. He has a 2.70 ERA in seven minor league outings.

The Braves were excited about Ritchie during spring training, knowing his arrival was inevitable during the 2026 campaign. Veteran starter Chris Sale and others have spoken glowingly of Ritchie’s maturity. He projects as a mid-rotation starter long term and is important depth in the immediate future.

Baseball America rated the Braves’ system 26th out of 30 clubs entering the season, but that doesn’t paint the whole picture. The Braves are as well-stocked with young pitchers and high-potential position prospects as they’ve been since reemerging as contenders nine years ago.

Right-hander Didier Fuentes has been helping the major league club as a reliever (2.78 ERA and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings) and graduated from official prospect status. It’d be fair, though, to still consider the 20-year-old a prospect as he works to establish himself as a foundational player for the franchise’s future.

“His poise (has impressed me),” Sale said Thursday of Fuentes. “He’s a young guy, man, and being able to come in big situations, multiple innings. He’s a Swiss Army knife. He can come pitch three innings from the fifth to the eighth. He can come in and get the biggest out in the game in a tight spot.

“His stuff, it’s just a lot of fun to watch. It’s pure electricity coming out of that right arm. So again, a lot of confidence in him and I think moving forward he’s only doing himself a lot of favors, maybe even getting back into the rotation. A lot of fun to watch.”