Atlanta's A, AA pitching

[Patrick425]

I don't follow the minor league extremely close, but I try to keep up somewhat for the benefit of my fantasy team. One thing I always try to look at is the prospect hot sheet on BA. One thing that has really stuck out to me this year is all the pitching talent that Atlanta seems to have at the A and AA level. Delgado, Hoover, Teheran, Vizciano, Minor and others. Are we headed for another Avery, Smoltz, Maddux, Glavine type era for the Braves in the near future? I'd love to see the Brewers get one of these young arms (especially Teheran) in a trade.

[Tedaldtada]

I know I'm kind of a Homer, but are those guys really that much better then Rivas, Rogers, Peralta, Scarpetta, Odorizzi, Heckathorne, Arnett, Bucci, etc?

[biedergb]

It is all subjective at that level. To paraphrase to old adage "there is no such thing as a pitching prospect". Until these guys are at AA/AAA and ready to be called up it is far too early to annoint them the next coming of (insert favorite pitcher's name). As another homer, I know that Ty Hill, Jeff D'Amico, Nick Neugebauer, JM Gold, Mike Jones all looked good at the A-ball level, and then injuries took them from us. I don't know about the Braves guys, but many hyped groups of pitchers from the vaunted Generation K of the Mets in the 90's to the "DVD" of the Rangers (and several inbetween) have failed to meet expectations.

[pingman]

Braves fan weighing in on this topic (Braves & Brewers are 1a & 1b in my book; my dad was a huge Milwaukee Braves fan & I was "outta-the-will" if I didn't keep an allegiance with the Braves -haha!)

 

The Braves farm is relatively thin compared with their standards from most of the last decade....but they're deep with premier pitching prospects:

 

1) Teheran (age=19)....with Strassburg now in Washington, Teheran might be the #1 pitching prospect in minor league baseball (not my words) ....a recent scouting report on a Braves site said his stuff is superior to former Brave farmhand Netali Feliz... three "+ pitches" including a heater with good movement that recently was still hitting 97 in the 7th inning or a recent game..... untouchable unless Braun's in the deal so the Brewers will never sniff him

 

2) Vizcaino (19).... got him from the Yankees in the Velazquez deal ....BA ranked him as the Yankees #3 prospect ....another power guy who's projected as a top of the rotation prospect

 

3) Minor (22).... lefty was the Braves #1 draftchoice in 2009 then did very well in the Arizona Fall League.... projected as a middle of the rotation starter

 

4) Randall Delgado (20) ....yet another highly regarded youngster....

 

5) Robinson Lopez (19).... he's going to climb the BA ratings because he's yet another young prospect beating up on older prospects in Class A Rome.... explosive stuff

 

6) Dimaster Delgado (21) ....lefty is rehabbing from arm surgery but is still highly regarded by the Braves

 

7) Tyler Stovall (20) ....currently refining his stuff at Braves minor league camp in Orlando....lefty was a 2nd round pick in 2008

 

....also worth mentioning are rookies already on the Atlanta staff: Craig Kimbrel is still only 22 & is considered the closer of the future.... he throws very hard & is compared favorably with Billy Wagner....southpaw Jonny Venters (25) has surprised in Atlanta as a rookie with his filthy slider & 95 mph heater.....and the Braves rotation already includes a pair of 24 year-olds in Tommy Hanson & Kris Medlen

 

CONCLUSION: the Braves are rich in pitching prospects....BUT painfully lacking in hitting prospects

 

PREDICTION: IMHO it would take an overwhelming offer to pry Teheran & Vizcaino from the Braves but others could be had in exchange for hitting prospects, especially since ATL will be looking for a 3B this winter (to replace a retiring Chipper)

[uwisfan]

I wouldnt mind moving Gamel or McGehee for a couple of A-level arms with big upside