This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. Subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.
ATLANTA — The Braves want a confirmed beginning pitcher, at the very least one outfielder and at the very least one reliever who could possibly be utilized in high-leverage conditions. It appears unlikely that they’ll deal with all of those wants by way of free company. However who may they deal if making an attempt to rebuild the roster by way of trades?
Final week a supply stated a bunch of groups have inquired about right-handed pitcher Hurston Waldrep (Braves’ No. 3 prospect) and realized the Braves aren’t considering shifting him. I’m undecided I’d put him in an untouchable class, however let’s take the 2023 first-round Draft select of the dialogue for now.
We will do the identical for final summer time’s first-round decide Cam Caminiti, an 18-year-old southpaw who already ranks as MLB’s No. 92 prospect. Let’s simply put Caminiti and Waldrep within the “extremely unlikely to be moved” class for now.
So who may president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos use to fill some key roster spots? Keep in mind, Ronald Acuña Jr. will seemingly miss at the very least six weeks whereas recovering from knee surgical procedure, and Spencer Strider will seemingly miss at the very least 4 weeks whereas recovering from elbow surgical procedure. And prime setup man Joe Jiménez will miss most or the entire season whereas recovering from knee surgical procedure.
So Anthopoulos shall be on the lookout for greater than only a stop-gap when making an attempt to fortify his outfield, bullpen and rotation. If the season began at this time, the beginning outfield could be Michael Harris II, Jarred Kelenic and Eli White. That’s not going to work.
If debating which huge leaguers the Braves may commerce, you would need to at the very least take into consideration Kelenic. However would the return be important sufficient to surrender on the $17 million funding made when Kelenic was acquired from the Mariners final 12 months? Is there one other workforce that believes he’ll ultimately attain expectations and carry out higher than a fourth outfielder?
There would even be motive to debate shifting Ozzie Albies, the three-time All-Star second baseman whose contract features a $7 million wage for 2025 and $7 million choices for 2026 and ’27. That’s an excellent worth if he stays wholesome sufficient to bid for an additional 30-homer season. He’s additionally a powerful clubhouse presence. However his arm energy has weakened his defensive worth and to get a powerful return you typically should half methods with one thing important.
If I needed to guess, Albies and Kelenic shall be again with the Braves subsequent 12 months. So which prospects could possibly be moved?
With Caminiti and Waldrep within the unlikely to be moved class, AJ Smith-Shawver (Braves’ No. 2 and MLB No. 97) could be the pitching prospect who’s most tasty to different groups. Smith-Shawver simply turned 22 on Nov. 20 and he’s nonetheless studying the artwork of pitching. He nonetheless has a really excessive ceiling, however with a pair different top-tier beginning pitching prospects, the Braves could possibly be dealing from an space of energy.
Drake Baldwin (Braves’ No. 5) may truly be the second-most coveted Braves prospect. Loads of groups would like to have the 23-year-old catcher. However with Travis d’Arnaud’s departure, there could be a higher have to hold Baldwin.
Nacho Alvarez Jr. (Braves’ No. 4) nonetheless has upside. However his commerce worth shall be onerous to gauge till he proves he can hit on the huge league stage and supplies a greater really feel for the place he may match defensively.
Anthopoulos has at all times proven some creativity within the commerce market. The William Contreras commerce that introduced Sean Murphy to Atlanta looks like a giant miss. However some pitchers didn’t need to throw to Contreras and Murphy nonetheless has time to show he will be the catcher the Braves envisioned.
However for probably the most half, Anthopoulos has profited enormously from in-season Commerce Deadline offers and he dedicated larceny final winter when he received the Pink Sox to ship $17 million and Chris Sale to Atlanta for utility infielder Vaughn Grissom.
So whereas it’s not clear precisely what the Braves will do, Anthopoulos’ monitor report creates motive to be optimistic about his capacity to once more efficiently navigate the commerce market.
