6 top Braves prospects start minor league season in Gwinnett

Six of the Braves’ top prospects will start the year with the Gwinnett Stripers, who open the minor league season Tuesday at Charlotte, N.C.

Outfielder Drew Waters and pitchers Kyle Muller, Tucker Davidson, Jasseel De La Cruz, Daysbel Hernandez and Thomas Burrows are listed among Braves’ top 30 prospects. Waters, a switch-hitting phenom drafted out of Etowah High School in the second round in 2017, is ranked 29th on MLB’s list of top 100 prospects.

Gwinnett’s roster is composed of 16 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders and six outfielders:

• Pitchers: Victor Arano, Chasen Bradford, Burrows, Jesse Chavez, Davidson, De La Cruz, Carl Edwards Jr., Hernandez, Mitch Horacek, Connor Johnstone, Nate Jones, Trevor Kelley, Dylan Lee, Muller, Bryse Wilson, Kyle Wright
• Catchers: Ryan Casteel, Carlos Martinez, Jonathan Morales
• Infielders: Orlando Arcia, Johan Camargo, Ryan Goins, Yolmer Sanchez, Travis Snider, Riley Unroe
• Outfielders: Abraham Almonte, Jaycob Brugman, Travis Demeritte, Phillip Ervin, Terrance Gore, Waters

Nine players and pitchers — Arano, Arcia, Camargo, Davidson, De La Cruz, Jones, Muller, Wilson and Wright — are part of the Braves’ 40-man roster. Jones was optioned to Gwinnett Monday.

Manager Matt Tuiasosopo — who managed Single-A Rome in 2019 — is in his first season in Gwinnett. His roster returns 10 players from the 2019 club and includes four making their Triple-A debuts: De La Cruz, Hernandez, Martinez and Muller.