A Look At The Atlanta Braves Top 100 Prospects

Photo by Brett Davis

Spring Training is the place where top Major League Baseball (MLB) prospects in an organization show why they deserve a spot on their teams opening day roster and the Atlanta Braves have two MLB  Top-50 Prospects trying to prove themselves this spring.  

#1 AJ Smith-Shawver (RHP) 

The Braves #1 top prospect this year is 21-year old right handed pitcher (RHP) AJ Smith-Shawver.  The RHP is ranked #69 in MLB’s Top-100 Prospects ranking for 2024. 

AJ Smith-Shawver has a fastball that sits around 95 mph, this fastball touched triple digits last year, and hit 99 mph in his first Spring Training outing.  To complement the fastball Smith-Shawver uses his mid 80s slider, and a mid 80s changeup. Both of these pitches had the highest whiff percentage for Smith-Shawver. 

The 21-year old RHP made his MLB debut on Jun. 4, 2023 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Smith-Shawver entered in the 6th inning, and exited in the 8th with one out. The final score of that game was 8-5 with the Braves winning. AJ Smith-Schawver worked 2.1 innings (IP), with 0 hits given up (H), 3 strikeouts (SO), and 1 walk (BB).  Smith-Shawver would make his first start of the season on Jun. 9, 2023 against the Washington Nationals. 

By the end of his 2023 season, AJ Smith-Shawver played in six games, starting in five of the six games. The RHP  ended his season with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.86, 11 BB,  20 SO, and a walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) of 1.105.  

During Spring Training Smith-Shawver has pitched in 1 game. He went 2.1 IP, giving up 4 H, 3 earned runs (ER), and 2 home runs (HR). His ERA right now sits at 13.50, and his Whip is 2.50.  

#2  Hurston Waldrep 

Hurston Waldrep is a 22- year old RHP,  he is the 90th ranked prospect in the MLB and the #2 ranked prospect in the Atlanta Braves Organization.  

Waldrep was drafted in 2023 in the first round, he started his career in the A level of the minors and ended his season in  the AAA level. 

At the A level the 22-year old played in 1 game, where he went 3 IP, giving up 3 H, 1BB, 8 K. He ended his A level run with an ERA of 3.00 and had a Whip of 1.33.  

In AA Waldrep  played in 3 games, going 10 IP, giving up 8 H, 7 BB, and 11 K. This run at the AA level saw Hurston Waldrep end with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.50 Whip. 

Hurston Waldrep isn’t a perfect prospect though, as he struggles to command a good fastball. Even though this is a flaw, he commands his fastball to 99 mph consistently and a consistent slider in the 80s.  

Hurston Waldrep has the potential to be a frontline starter for an MLB rotation, but right now for the Braves he is likely to be used as a reliever that can come into the game in high leverage situations. 

Waldrep has played 1 game in Spring Training, going 2 IP, with 2 K, 2 BB. The RHP now has an ERA of 0.00 and a Whip of 1.00 in Spring Training.