Jose Peraza, 2B/OF, Triple-A Gwinnett
Ranking: Braves’ No. 2 prospect by Baseball America
Peraza won’t get as much playing time in center field now that Mallex Smith has been promoted from Double-A, but he’ll still get an occasional look out there as well as some action in left field. Peraza has gone 8-for-27 (.296) over his previous six games, with two doubles, two RBIs and three stolen bases. Peraza doubled in Gwinnett’s only run in a 1-0 win Friday in Pawtucket, becoming the 10th Gwinnett hitter to drive in a game-winning run in the team’s final at-bat this season.
Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Triple-A Gwinnett
Ranking: No. 3 prospect by Baseball America
Foltynewicz rebounded from a poor start his first outing back from the big leagues. He pitched five innings against Indianapolis on Wednesday, allowing three runs, only two of which were earned. Foltynewicz walked four for the second straight outing, as he continues to try to harness the command of his dynamic mid-90s fastball.
Lucas Sims, RHP, high Single-A Carolina
Ranking: No. 5 prospect by Baseball America
Sims has begun a minor league rehabilitation assignment in his comeback from the hip contusion he suffered during the Carolina Mudcats’ bus crash on May 12. Sims pitched two innings Thursday with the Gulf Coast Braves, allowing four runs. He’s expected to get at least one more rehab outing before rejoining the Mudcats. Sims is 2-3 with a 6.07 ERA in seven starts for the Mudcats this season, though he had thrown quality starts in each of his previous two outings before the crash.
Ozhaino Albies, SS, low Single-A Rome
Ranking: No. 8 prospect by Baseball America
Albies, 18, became the youngest player named to either roster at this year’s Futures Game. He’ll play for the World team in the minor league all-star game on July 13 in Cincinnati as part of the festivities for the Major League All-Star game. Albies finished the first half hot with a three-hit game to raise his average to .322, tied for tops in the South Atlantic League. He started the second half the same way. Albies had hits in each of his first four games coming out of the break, going 7-for-19 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored.
Tyrell Jenkins, RHP, Double-A Mississippi
Ranking: No. 13 prospect by Baseball America
Jenkins continues to show he can be effectively wild. He walked five batters Sunday against Pensacola, something he’s done three times already this season, and still allowed just one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Jenkins is 4-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 15 starts at Mississippi.
Manny Banuelos, LHP, Triple-A Gwinnett
Ranking: No. 14 prospect by Baseball America
Banuelos pitched only three innings Saturday, allowing three runs, but the Braves had planned to back him off after he pitched his first career nine-inning shutout his previous outing. Banuelos, who is in his second season back from Tommy John surgery, walked four and threw only 39 of his 72 pitches for strikes Saturday. Banuelos, now 6-2 with an International League-leading 2.29 ERA, is in position to get a possible major league call-up later this week to pitch against the Nationals. The Braves have not announced who will make Thursday’s start in place of Williams Perez, who is on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left foot.
Garrett Fulenchek, RHP, Rookie Danville
Ranking: No. 15 prospect by Baseball America
After spending the first part of the season in Orlando nursing an ankle injury and working on his mechanics, Fulenchek has joined the Danville rotation. He pitched three innings, allowing two hits and one earned runs, while walking four and striking out three in his debut on Saturday. The 6-foot-4 right-hander, who was drafted in the second round last year from Howe (Texas) High School, went 0-7 with a 4.78 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) last year with the Gulf Coast Braves.
Mallex Smith, CF, Double-A Mississippi
Ranking: No. 17 prospect by Baseball America
After hitting .340 in Double-A Mississippi in the first half, which was second in the Southern League, Smith was promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett. He is just 4-for-his-first-22 since his call-up, but he had a standout game Saturday night in Pawtucket. Smith went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases and a run scored. It was his first three-steal game as a Brave and first since Aug. 14 with High-A Lake Elsinore in the Padres organization. Smith has four stolen bases in his first five games with Gwinnett.
Steve Janas, RHP, high Single-A Carolina
Ranking: No. 30 prospect by Baseball America
Janas returned from the disabled list after the Mudcats’ bus crash to pitch five scoreless innings against Myrtle Beach, giving up only three hits. His fastball command wasn’t as sharp as before the wreck — he walked two and hit a batter — but he was still effective. Janas is now 5-0 with a 0.49 ERA (two earned runs in 37 innings) over six starts. In his previous start before going on the DL, the 6-foot-6 Kennesaw State product took a perfect game into the seventh inning before giving up a hit.
Touki Toussaint, RHP, low Single-A Rome
Ranking: Former Diamondbacks’ No. 5 prospect by Baseball America
Toussaint made his Braves debut Sunday for Rome, pitching 4 1/3 innings, allowing only two hits and one earned run. It was a bit of a wild one, though. Toussaint hit two batters and walked five as well as striking out five. Toussaint had not pitched in nine days, which might have something to do with that, since Atlanta acquired last year’s first round pick (16th overall) from the Diamondbacks in a three-player trade for Phil Gosselin. Toussaint was 2-2 with a 3.69 ERA in seven starts for low-A Kane County with the D-backs.
