Braves top 10 prospects: 2024 season review

Taking a quick look back on how Atlanta's top 10 fared last season with stats, highlights, and scouting notes

In the words of Manny Ramirez, “I’m baaaaaaaack!”

I helped co-write an article with

Ben Weaver

last month (Top-5 Braves Prospects to Watch for in 2025), but it’s admittedly been a bit since my last post. Now that college baseball and Spring Training are back, I’m ready to get back into the grind of writing.

Today, I’ll focus on Baseball America’s Top 10 ranked Braves prospects, and give all of you a brief review of how their 2024 seasons went, with some thoughts and scouting notes sprinkled in. Let’s get to it.

1. Drake Baldwin, C

(Photo via Julio Aguilar/GettyImages)

No surprise here at #1 as Baldy’s climbed the ranks and solidified himself as a prospect that will absolutely get MLB at-bats this year.

Baldwin’s 2024: .276 average, 16 HR, 88 RBI, .793 OPS, 13.1 BB%, 17.2 K% across Double-A and Triple-A Gwinnett. He took a big step forward this past season and people talk a lot about his offensive potential, but don’t forget about his defense behind the dish. He threw out 23 runners and gets high praise for working well with pitchers, his strong arm, and his continuing improvement on defense.

2. AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP

AJ did make one start in Atlanta where he went 4.1 innings and struck out 4, but he spent most of the season in Gwinnett. Over 21 MiLB starts, AJSS had a 4.85 ERA, 108 K, .213 BAA, and a 10.92 K/9.

His control (and limiting the walks and HR ball) needs work, but he isn’t ranked #2 for nothing. Mid-to-high 90’s fastball with a sick split-changeup that had a 22.5% strikeout rate. He’s still just 22, but he’s got the stuff to make him tough to hit as he continues to learn and grow.

3. Cam Caminiti, LHP

(Photo via Rob Tringali/MLB Photos)

Cam was the highest-ranked high school pitcher in the 2024 draft. After the Braves took him, he made one start in Single-A in which he went 3 innings with 4 strikeouts.

Mid-to-high 90’s 70 grade fastball, 55 grade changeup, 50 grade slider, 40 grade curveball. Smooth delivery and at 18 years old, he’s gotta be on your list of prospects to keep an eye on as he enters his first full professional season.

4. Nacho Alvarez, SS/3B/2B

The 21 year-old had a brief stint in MLB appearing in 8 games, but split the year between AA and AAA. He hit a smooth .284 with 10 home runs, 57 RBI, a .792 OPS, and he also swiped 26 bases. Hits for more contact than power, but if he can add some more pop, he could be a doubles machine and modest home run threat.

5. Hurston Waldrep, RHP

He didn’t have the best welcome to MLB, but over four MiLB levels last year, he finished with a 3.47 ERA, 97 K, and also threw 2 complete games. His 60 grade split-change had a 26% swinging strike rate, and paired with a fastball that’s 95+ mph and a high 80’s slider, he can be nasty. Optioned a few days ago to Gwinnett, he’ll turn 23 on March 1. Dial things in in Triple-A to begin the season and we’ll see him in Atlanta again.

6. Owen Murphy, RHP

Murphy was off to an incredible start last year, but was unfortunately shut down and ended up needing Tommy John Surgery.

With High-A Rome: he made 7 starts, had a 1.54 ERA, 60 strikeouts, 13.17 K/9, .129 BAA, and a 0.73 WHIP over 41 innings. He’d be ranked higher of not for the fact he’ll miss the 2025 season, but still, a tremendous ‘24.

7. JR Ritchie, RHP

Ritchie is another young arm Braves fans have been hearing a lot of, and for good reason, making it up to High-A last year.

Overall, he made 11 starts (12 appearances), had a 2.90 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and had a 10.15 K/9. He’s able to get lots of swing-and-misses on his 55 grade changeup, and his high-spin slider can be devastating to hitters. Rising Braves prospect to monitor!

8. Drue Hackenberg, RHP

Went from Rome up to Gwinnett and got better as he climbed up the levels!

He made 25 starts last year and carried a 3.07 ERA, 144 strikeouts, .212 BAA, 10.05 K/9, and something to note was that he allowed just 2 home runs over 129 innings.

Has a 5-pitch mix that includes a four-seam FB, cutter, curveball, slider, and changeup. His fastball gets in the mid-90’s with some sinking tail to it, he loves to throw his cutter in on batters to induce weak contact, and his low-to-mid 80’s slider can trick batters into chasing outside the zone.

He’s projected to make his MLB debut next year, but barring some wild setback, I truly don’t see how he doesn’t make it through 2025 without getting at least a brief look in Atlanta.

9. Lucas Braun, RHP

(Photo via Wyatt Mason)

Braun is another Braves pitcher I’m excited for that I also did a recent highlight on.

Over 24 starts (25 appearances) this past season, he had a 3.26 ERA, 162 strikeouts, 1.14 WHIP, K/BB of 3.86.

He uses four pitches: a fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90’s, a nasty hard slider in the low 80’s, a curveball that sits in the upper 70’s, and a deceptive changeup he throws in the low 80’s. Great command and gets strikeouts! To highlight his effectiveness, he lead the Braves organization in strikeouts!

10. Garrett Baumann, RHP

The Braves drafted the 6’8” Baumann in 2023. He spent most of the ‘24 season in Single-A. Over 19 starts (20 appearances), he pitched to a 3.18 ERA, tallied 89 strikeouts, carried a 8.09 K/9, and finished the last half of the season with a 24% K rate. He has natural life on his fastball that touched 98 mph, and will look to work on his secondary slider/changeup pitches.

The Braves have some interesting young arms on the rise, and a few already have MLB experience. For the ones on this list that don’t, I believe we see Hackenberg and Braun pitch for the Braves at some point this year. Not saying that they’ll each spend half the season (or more) in Atlanta, but with the Braves’ trend of giving their younger pitches a shot, I don’t see how either makes it through 2025 without making their debuts and getting at least a brief look (barring injury or poor performance).

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