LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Pitching prospects Aaron Blair and Lucas Sims were sent to the minors Friday, but at least one and perhaps both likely will be in the major league rotation sooner than later.
Blair, 23, is considered the closest to being ready for the majors among the organization’s many starting-pitcher prospects and likely would be the first among that group called up if there’s an injury in the big-league rotation.
“I told Blair, you’re a blister, a toenail, a pulled calf away from being in the big leagues,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He’s that close for me. … You watch this guy, he’s got pitches, he can navigate through a lineup and you see the mound presence, all the stuff that good major league pitchers have. He has all those qualities.”
Blair had an 8.00 ERA in four games including two starts, allowing 11 hits, eight runs and three homers in nine innings, with two hit batters, three walks and six strikeouts.
“There were some results that were mixed results, and some that were really good,” Blair said. “But for my first time being in the organization, I feel like I showed them what kind of pitcher and person that I am. Hopefully that can get me to Atlanta real soon.”
Blair allowed one hit in two scoreless innings with three strikeouts against the Blue Jays on March 7. He also had a good outing Thursday against a Nationals lineup that featured almost all of the regulars, giving up two hits, one run and three walks with two strikeouts in three innings.
“Yesterday facing pretty much (the Nationals’) opening-day roster, I was confident going after hitters,” he said. “Not that I proved to myself that I can pitch against them because I believe that I can. But I think I showed the coaching staff and the front office that I’m right there and I’m ready to get the call.”
Sims, 21, a first-round draft pick from Brookwood High School in 2012, also has a shot at making his big-league debut in 2016. He struggled with command at times in his second major league spring training, allowing eight hits, nine runs and five walks with six strikeouts in five innings.
“Lucas is right there,” Gonzalez said. “From what I saw last year in spring training to what I saw this year, his windup, his delivery got cleaned up and he’s just going to continue getting better.”
