Braves outfield prospects Drew Waters and Michael Harris were named to the Futures game roster Wednesday. Both individuals are Georgia natives who rank among the system’s top prospects.
“It’s a special time for players, a big deal,” manager Brian Snitker said. “You got into the All-Star site and play against your peers and get to have fun. ... It’s a great opportunity for those guys.”
Waters, 22, is the highest ranked Braves prospect yet to make his major-league debut. He’s having an underwhelming season in Triple-A, hitting .230 with three homers, 10 RBIs and 12 steals. He’s especially struggled lately, going 1-for-28 with 17 strikeouts across his past eight contests.
The Woodstock native needs to improve his pitch selection and become a more patient hitter. He’s still striking out at nearly 34% of the time. Waters is a good athlete and projects to be a solid defender. He entered the season as Baseball America’s No. 3 Braves prospect, behind outfielder Cristian Pache and starting pitcher Ian Anderson.
Credit: Gwinnett Stripers
Credit: Gwinnett Stripers
Harris, meanwhile, will ascend prospect rankings in the next year. After starring in spring training, Harris has had a strong season in high Single-A Rome, where he’s hit .319/.341/.464 with four homers, 12 doubles and 28 RBIs in 42 games.
“(The reports say) he’s swinging the bat really well, like we thought he would,” Snitker said.
Some believe Harris has potential eventually to be the franchise’s No. 1 prospect. The 20-year-old’s blend of athletic ability and advanced offensive approach could result in a quick climb through the system, a possibility that even Snitker acknowledged during spring training.
Harris, a DeKalb County native, entered the season as the Braves’ No. 11 prospect in Baseball America’s rankings. He likely won’t be listed so low again during his minor-league career. Harris has perhaps the highest ceiling of any Braves prospect.
Other Braves to participate in the Futures game in recent years include Pache and Anderson (2019), pitchers Kyle Wright and Touki Toussaint (2018), and outfielder Ronald Acuna and pitcher Mike Soroka (2017). The game wasn’t played in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2021 Futures game will be played 3 p.m. July 11 at Coors Field in Denver. The game will be seven innings and televised on MLB Network.
