This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it frequently in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH — Many Braves followers acquired their first take a look at John Gil when he joined a few of the group’s different prospects to play in opposition to a Tigers prospect crew within the Spring Breakout recreation. He exited that contest after tweaking a left leg muscle whereas attempting to beat out a grounder within the sixth.
Almost two full months later, it’s apparent the ailment didn’t have any lingering results on Gil’s super pace, which he has been in a position to make use of much more continuously now that he has proven he’s extra ready for the Single-A degree than he was final summer season.
Gil ranks because the Braves’ No. 13 prospect per MLB Pipeline, and his 70-grade pace gives him what’s extensively considered the perfect run instrument within the membership’s Minor League system. The 18-year-old shortstop nonetheless has loads of room to develop offensively. However whereas hitting .243 and setting up a .339 on-base share via his first 26 video games, he has been profitable with 23 of 27 stolen-base makes an attempt.
The early-season expertise has been far completely different than the one Gil had final yr, when he hit .204 with a .297 OBP over 39 video games for Augusta. He had produced a .791 OPS within the Rookie-level Florida Advanced League. So, there wasn’t any cause to maintain him there any longer final yr. And with the current elimination of short-season Rookie ball, there was just one place to ship him and Luis Guanipa, an outfielder who ranks because the Braves’ No. 14 prospect.
“We knew what we have been sending there,” Braves roving teacher Terry Pendleton stated in March. “We knew it was going to be children that weren’t going to get crushed by this. Some children lose confidence and so they’re performed. You need to be actual delicate with sure children. You possibly can’t ship them there realizing that in the event that they fail or do not succeed, they’re performed. These two children will combat you, too, till they’ve acquired nothing left, you already know? We knew they might bounce again if they’d success or did not have success.”
Guanipa ranked as one of many prime out there outfielders when the Braves gave him a $2.3 million signing bonus in 2023. He performed simply three video games this yr for Augusta earlier than touchdown on the injured listing with a wrist damage. Gil has efficiently dealt with the underdog function since receiving a $100,000 signing bonus that very same yr.
