These Braves prospects made their mark in 2024

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ATLANTA -- As we digest what happened this past year and prepare for what should be a less frustrating season at the Major League level, let’s look at some of the Minor Leaguers who made a strong impression in 2024.

3 players who forced their way onto the radar

C Drake Baldwin (Braves' No. 5 prospect)
Baldwin’s stock rose with the September success he had after being promoted to the Double-A level in 2023, but he cemented his place as a future big league catcher this season. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter belted 12 homers and produced a .891 OPS in 334 plate appearances for Triple-A Gwinnett. He drew attention across the baseball world when he homered in the Futures Game. Atlanta’s coaches liked the potential Baldwin showed during the past two Spring Trainings. They will now view him as big league ready in the event Sean Murphy or Travis d’Arnaud is sidelined next year.

INF Nacho Alvarez Jr. (Braves' No. 4 prospect)
Alvarez drew attention back in February as he experienced the early days of his first big league camp. The primary question since he was taken in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft was: What position could he play at the big league level? Alvarez's athleticism makes his wide frame somewhat deceiving from a defensive perspective, but scouts still doubt his ability to play shortstop on a daily basis. Alvarez hit 10 homers and had a .861 OPS in 289 plate appearances for Gwinnett this year. He struggled mightily, striking out 10 times in 30 at-bats, during a late July emergency promotion to the Majors, but his potential value should come into focus next season, during his third full season of pro ball.

RHP JR Ritchie (Braves' No. 7 prospect)
Considering Ritchie was a first-round selection just two years ago, it might be best to say he was relocated on the radar this past summer. The 21-year-old hurler returned from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in June and posted a 2.90 ERA in 49 2/3 innings over 12 appearances (11 starts). He had a 26 percent strikeout rate and a 6.2 percent walk rate over his final seven outings. Left-hander Cam Caminiti and right-handers AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep are the club’s top three prospects, respectively, but Ritchie and Owen Murphy, who were both first-round Draft picks in 2022, are still highly regarded. Murphy underwent Tommy John surgery in early June 2024.

2 breakout players to watch in 2025

RHP Garrett Baumann (Braves' No. 18 prospect)
Baumann seemed to be more of a project than a prospect when the Braves gave him an over-slot bonus after taking him in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. But the 6-foot-8, 20-year-old pitcher looked like a blossoming prospect as he posted a 3.18 ERA over 19 appearances (18 starts) for Single-A Augusta this season. He tossed seven scoreless innings when he was promoted to High-A Rome to make his final start of the year in September. The 35 percent strikeout rate Baumann constructed over his final five starts indicated he could continue to miss bats as he gets a better feel for his delivery and arsenal.

RHP Didier Fuentes (Braves' No. 20 prospect)
The Braves might have found a steal in 2022, when they signed Fuentes for $75,000 on the international market. Fuentes is a 19-year-old hurler with great potential. He produced a 32.1 percent strikeout rate while posting a 2.74 ERA in 18 appearances (17 starts) for Augusta this season. Jhancarlos Lara, the Braves' No. 14 prospect, might have better stuff, but Fuentes showed the ability to miss bats with much better command than Lara showed this season.

1 big prospect question for next season

Who could be next year’s Spencer Schwellenbach?
Schwellenbach’s rise from the High-A level to frontline big league starter certainly wouldn’t have been predicted at this point last season, or even when he joined Atlanta’s roster on May 29. Smith-Shawver and Waldrep won't sneak up on anybody after both showed they weren’t quite ready for the Majors this season, but both could factor into next year’s big league plans. Ian Anderson and Bryce Elder also add to the organization’s starting pitching depth.

The Braves might need to add a starter with a short-term deal this winter. Chris Sale is controllable through 2026 and Reynaldo López is through '27. Spencer Strider is under contract through '29, and Schwellenbach won’t be eligible for free agency until after the '30 season.

Still, even with the stability these deals provide for the immediate future, the team’s long-term success will be influenced by the strides made over the next couple of years within a pitching-heavy farm system that is now fronted by Caminiti, the 18-year-old southpaw who ranks as MLB’s No. 92 prospect despite a pro career that consists of just one appearance.