Photos: Braves' first-round picks since 2000

Atlanta Braves

Photos: Braves' first-round picks since 2000

First round picks by the Atlanta Braves since 2000 in baseball's amateur draft.

Pitcher Adam Wainwright was the Atlanta Braves' first first-round pick (29th overall) in the 2000 amateur draft. Wainwright pitched three years in the Braves' minor league system, never pitching above Double-A ball. Wainwright made his major league debut in 2005 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently second on the Cardinals' strikeouts list behind Bob Gibson.

First baseman Scott Thorman was the Atlanta Braves' second first-round pick (30th overall) in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut on June 18, 2006, and played in 175 games over two seasons for Atlanta. The Braves sent Thorman outright to the minors on March 28, 2008, and became a free agent at the end of the season.

The Atlanta Braves selected lefthander Macay McBride in the first round (24th overall) of the 2002 amateur draft. McBride made his major league debut out of the bullpen in 2005, pitching 14 innings in 23 games, with a 5.79 ERA and 22 strikeouts. McBride made 70-plus appearances in relief for the Braves before he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 2007 for pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma.

The Atlanta Braves' first-round pick (29th overall) in the 2001 draft was shortstop Josh Burrus. Burrus spent 6 seasons in the Braves' minor league system, playing shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions. His best year was in 2004 when he hit .272 with 123 stolen bases with Class A Rome. He was released by the Braves after the 2007 season. He had spent time as an assistant coach for his high school alma mater, the Wheeler (Marietta) Wildcats.

Outfielder Jeff Francoeur was the Atlanta Braves' first-round pick (23rd overall) of the 2002 amateur draft. The Braves' top-rated prospect in 2004, Francoeur shot up the Braves' minor league system and his major league debut as part of a group of rookie players, nicknamed the "Baby Braves," in the 2005 season. A 2007 Gold Glove winner, Francoeur patrolled the outfield for four seasons before being traded in 2009 to the New York Mets for outfielder Ryan Church. Francoeur spent time with the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies before re-joining the Braves in the 2016 season.

Right-handed pitcher Luis Atilano was selected by the Atlanta Braves as the 35th overall pick in the first round of the 2003 amateur draft. Atilano pitched four seasons in the Braves' minor league sytem before he was traded to the Washington Nationals in 2006 for veteran utilityman Daryle Ward. Atilano played one season for the Nationals. He also pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and in the Popcorn Baseball League of Taiwan.

Cody Johnson was the Atlanta Braves first-round selection (24th overall) in the 2006 amateur draft. The left fielder bounced from Single-A to Double-A ball, hitting 94 homers and striking out 629 times in 1,813 plate appearances before his release in 2010.

With the 14th overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft, the Atlanta Braves selected outfielder Jason Heyward. The 2009 Minor League Player of the Year made his major league debut in 2010, hitting a home run in his first at-bat. He hit 83 more in five seasons as the starting right fielder for the Braves. The Braves traded Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2014 offseason.

The Braves selected left-handed pitcher Brett DeVall with the 40th overall pick in the 2008 amateur draft. The selection was a compensatory pick for losing Ron Mahay to free agency. DeVall pitched three seasons in the Braves' minor league system (primarily in Rome - above), going 11-13 in 32 starts with a 4.10 ERA. He was released before the 2011 season.

With the 7th pick in the first round of the 2009 amateur draft, the Braves selected left handed pitcher Mike Minor. Minor made his major-league debut in August 2010. Minor was 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 204 2/3 innings during his career-best 2013 season, then slipped to 6-12 with a 4.77 ERA in 2014. He missed the entire 2015 season with a torn labrum and had arthroscopic surgery. The Braves elected not to tender him a contract and he became a free agent in 2015.

Infielder Matt Lipka was the 35th overall pick of the first round of the 2010 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. Lipka has played the last three seasons with the Double-A Mississippi Braves.

Sean Gilmartin was the Atlanta Braves' first round selection (28th overall) in the 2011 amateur draft. Gilmartin went 3-8 with 5.74 ERA in 17 starts for the Gwinnett Braves last season. The Braves traded the lefthander to the Minnesota Twins for Ryan Doumit in 2013.

Lucas Sims was the 21st overall pick of the 2012 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. The Lawrenceville native has moved up through the Braves' minor league system with stops in Gulf Coast League and Rome. He began the 2016 season with the Double-A Mississippi Braves, before being promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett.

The Atlanta Braves selected picther Jason Hursh with the 31st pick of the first round of the 2013 amateur draft. The right hander has maintained a sub-4.00 ERA logging more than 60 games with the Double-A Mississippi Braves.

The Braves selected right-handed pitcher Michael Soroka with the 29th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Soroka was a compensatory pick for Minnesota signing Ervin Santana. Soroka has pitched a 2.84 ERA in about 100 innings in rookie ball. He began the 2016 season in Single-A Rome.

The Braves selected left-hander Kolby Allard with the 14th overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft. Allard was sidelined for the 2015 season with a back injury. He made his Single-A debut with the Rome Braves in 2016.

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Pitcher Adam Wainwright was the Atlanta Braves' first first-round pick (29th overall) in the 2000 amateur draft. Wainwright pitched three years in the Braves' minor league system, never pitching above Double-A ball. Wainwright made his major league debut in 2005 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently second on the Cardinals' strikeouts list behind Bob Gibson.

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