Braves outfield prospect Drew Waters is thriving at Triple-A Gwinnett. He had a four-hit performance Wednesday. Waters is now 9-for-14 with two doubles, three homers, six RBIs and eight runs scored over his past four games. He’s added three stolen bases.
“Every day I look he has three or four hits,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You read the game reports, he’s doing something either on the bases or in the outfield. That’s great. Good for him.”
It’s possible Waters, 22, makes his MLB debut later this season. If he keeps producing like he has recently, he’ll force his way into the team’s plans sooner rather than later. Center field has been a rough spot for the Braves, though veteran Guillermo Heredia producing above his career norms has helped. An injury or Heredia sliding back toward his averages might open a path for Waters later this summer.
Waters entered the season as the organization’s No. 3 prospect, per Baseball America, behind only outfielder Cristian Pache and starter Ian Anderson. A switch-hitter, Waters projects as a well-rounded talent with plus-defense and athletic abililty. He’s worked on his pitch selection, trying to cut down on his strikeout totals.
Notes from Thursday:
- Also at Triple-A, shortstop Orlando Arcia had his 13-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday. It’s somewhat of a surprise that Arcia, a 27-year-old who spent parts of the past six seasons with the Brewers, hasn’t yet joined the Braves. He leads all Triple-A teams in homers (seven), extra-base hits (11) and runs (17). He also had a three-homer game earlier this month. The Braves certainly would benefit from a jolt at the plate.
- Speaking of the Braves’ offense, it’s been productive with two outs. After scoring three of their five runs Wednesday with two outs, the Braves have 86 two-out runs this season. That’s the third-highest total in the majors, trailing only the Dodgers (94) and White Sox (93).
That’s good company: The Dodgers are the reigning champions and are 25-18. The White Sox, meanwhile, are 26-16, owning the best record in the American League. Perhaps it’s a positive sign for the Braves, whose 20-23 record doesn’t stack up with those clubs.
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