Aaron Blair and Mallex Smith already made it to The Show.
Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson just got big minor league promotions.
But what about other would-be Braves negotiating the pipeline to Atlanta? A quick glance at Baseball America’s top 10 Braves prospects as the minor league season hits the one-fifth pole.
Sean Newcomb, LHP, Double-A Mississippi Braves
The No. 3 left-hander among all minor leaguers, according to Baseball America, Newcomb (1-1, 2.84 ERA) continues to work on his control, his biggest roadblock to the majors. The big piece acquired in the Andrelton Simmons trade, Newcomb averaged five walks per nine innings in two seasons in the Angels’ system. In his first five starts with Mississippi, that rate crept up to 6.1. The Southern League is hitting just .205 against him.
Kolby Allard, LHP, unassigned
Last summer’s No. 1 draft pick, Allard remains in extended spring training where he continues to rehab from back surgery. Still just 18, Allard missed most of his senior season at San Clemente (Calif.) High with a back stress fracture, was able to make three short Gulf Coast League starts in August and then underwent a back procedure. It is hoped he can be assigned to the low minors in June.
Touki Toussaint, RHP, Low-A Rome Braves
A tough spring for the organization’s top-ranked righty. Though his numbers are skewed by an April 22 game against Asheville (10 hits and seven runs allowed in five innings), Toussaint is 1-3 with a 9.19 ERA thus far, allowing 31 base runners (21 hits, 10 walks) in his first 24 2/3 innings. Before his acquisition from Arizona, he was 4-6 with a 5.72 ERA. In the Braves system, he is 4-8 with a 7.98 ERA.
Austin Riley, 3B, Rome
After hitting 12 homers in his first 217 professional at-bats last year, Riley is still finding himself in Rome, where his 33 strikeouts (in 91 ABs) are second-most in the South Atlantic League. While he is hitting just .242, his 11 extra-base hits (9 doubles, two homers) lead the team. His defense may become a concern. He committed five errors in his first 24 games in Rome after making 16 errors in 53 games last year.
Max Fried, LHP, Rome
So far, so good in the left-hander’s first action in 20 months since recovering from Tommy John surgery in August 2014. He is averaging a strikeout per inning and Monday night at Hagerstown, he recorded his first win (two earned runs, six strikeouts in five innings) since Aug. 12, 2013, when he was still in San Diego’s system. Remember, he was the highest-rated prospect in the Justin Upton deal that also netted Smith and Jace Peterson.
Mike Soroka, RHP, LA Rome
The big Canadian has yet to win a game yet in 19 professional starts, the most meaningless number in Soroka’s portfolio. Through five appearances this spring, his 1.33 ERA is seventh-lowest among South Atlantic League starters while his 29 strikeouts are tied for eighth. His control has been excellent: only three walks in 88 career innings. While with the Canadian Junior National team, he was coached by former Braves pitcher Chris Reitsma.
Braxton Davidson, OF, High-A Carolina Mudcats
The 2014 first-round pick’s first foray to advanced Single-A has not gone well. Davidson hit just .180 through 25 games, and the organization’s concern about his strikeout rate has not been abated. The right-fielder struck 35 times in his first 89 at-bats, which projects over 190 whiffs in a full 140-game season. This comes after striking out 135 times in 134 games in Rome last year. Despite all his raw power, he also has hit only one homer.
Lucas Sims, RHP, Triple-A Gwinnett Braves
Promoted to Gwinnett on April 23 after 12 starts at Double-A Mississippi, Sims has a story to tell about how he got there. One of several Mudcats players injured in the team bus wreck last May, he sat out six weeks to allow his hip to heal and was shortly promoted at Mississippi, where he pitched better (3.24 ERA) than he had with Carolina (5.18 ERA). Winless in three Gwinnett starts, he has struck out 20 in his first 16 innings.
Chris Ellis, RHP, Mississippi
Ellis, another byproduct from the Simmons trade that also landed Newcomb, led all Angels minor leaguers with 11 wins last year and has not slowed in Mississippi, where is he 3-0 (1.84) in his first five starts. That includes a 12-inning span with just one run allowed. Of the 19 hits he’s permitted, 17 were singles.
Dustin Peterson, LF, Mississippi
While Sims rebounded from the Carolina bus wreck, Peterson is still finding his way back. He was hitting .315 before sustaining a concussion, whiplash and a dislocated finger in the wreck and batted .232 after rejoining the team. At Mississippi, he hit .268 through his first 26 games and led the team in home runs (3) and RBIs (15).
