The Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers have increasingly become something of a revolving door for the Braves.
Between pitchers moving back and forth from Atlanta, big leaguers working through rehab assignments, and veterans looking for another opportunity, it’s not necessarily the place where you’ll find the organization’s most exciting young prospects.
Still, that doesn’t mean there weren’t plenty of players worth paying attention to this season.
In fact, several players in Gwinnett put together impressive campaigns that may have earned them a legitimate opportunity to contribute at the major league level. They might not all appear on top 10 prospect lists, but that doesn’t mean they can’t provide value to the Braves.
I’ll try to keep this final installment a little shorter than the others, as many of these names are probably already familiar to Braves Country. But that doesn’t make their performances any less deserving of recognition.
So, let’s wrap up our trip around the farm system with the players who caught my attention in Gwinnett.
The Bats That Stood Out
Patrick Clohisy (2024 | R11 P341 | St. Louis University | $150,000)
Leading off our final group of position players is Patrick Clohisy, an 11th-round selection out of St. Louis University in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Clohisy didn’t exactly burst onto the scene in his first professional season. Splitting time between Single-A and High-A, he posted a .626 OPS, 92 wRC+, and just four stolen bases. The following year, we started to see his tools come together. Across High-A and Double-A, he improved to a .681 OPS and 111 wRC+ while stealing a whopping 79 bases.
Fast-forward to 2026, and Clohisy took another significant step forward for the second consecutive season.
He began the year with Double-A Columbus, posting a .788 OPS with 19 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, and 37 stolen bases across 70 games. Atlanta rewarded that production with a promotion to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he was even better. In 42 games with the Stripers, Clohisy posted a career-best .903 OPS and 144 wRC+, collecting 10 doubles, one triple, three home runs, and another 25 stolen bases.
What I found particularly encouraging was how well his plate discipline held up after the promotion. Despite facing more advanced pitching, his strikeout rate increased by just 1.0 percentage point while his walk rate improved by 2.4 percentage points.
Now, Clohisy isn’t going to blow anyone away with his power. His average exit velocity ranked in just the 31st percentile, while his hard-hit rate landed in the 36th percentile. Instead, it’s his ability to consistently put the ball in play, get on base, and wreak havoc with his elite speed that makes him valuable.
To me, Clohisy profiles as a fourth or fifth outfielder at the major league level. Think Eli White: Someone who can handle the outfield defensively, make enough contact to remain competitive at the plate, and provide game-changing speed off the bench. There’s real value in that kind of player, especially on a team with postseason aspirations.
I’d expect Clohisy to receive some opportunities during Major League Spring Training next year before ultimately opening the season back in Gwinnett. However, if he continues the progression we’ve seen over the past two seasons, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him earn a call-up to Atlanta at some point in 2027.
Jim Jarvis (2023 | R11 P320 | Alabama | $175,000)
Unlike Clohisy, we’ve already gotten our first look at Jim Jarvis in Atlanta. Or, as our own Lindsay Crosby likes to call him, “Jimmy Baseball.”
The Braves acquired Jarvis last year in the trade that sent Rafael Montero to the Detroit Tigers. At the time, he was a relatively unknown prospect entering an organization already loaded with intriguing young shortstops. Looking back, this may have been another excellent example of Alex Anthopoulos and his staff identifying value where others weren’t necessarily looking.
After joining the Braves, Jarvis posted a 114 wRC+ in 21 games with Double-A Columbus before adding a 157 wRC+ in a brief three-game stint with Triple-A Gwinnett.
He opened 2026 back with the Stripers and wasted no time making his case for a promotion. Through his first 33 games, Jarvis slashed .305/.418/.445 with an .864 OPS and 136 wRC+. Atlanta eventually came calling, and Jarvis made his major league debut on May 6. He went on to appear in 38 games with the Braves.
While the offensive production wasn’t particularly impressive, his speed and defensive versatility were immediately noticeable. Jarvis hit just .207 with a .564 OPS and 57 wRC+ before eventually being sent back down to Gwinnett.
Back in Triple-A, Jarvis continued doing what had earned him that opportunity in the first place. He finished the season with an .823 OPS and 123 wRC+, collecting 23 doubles, six triples, six home runs, and 40 stolen bases.
Even more impressive was his approach at the plate. Jarvis struck out at just a 16.3% clip while walking 13.5% of the time. His underlying numbers tell a similar story, ranking in the 75th percentile in chase rate (23.3%), 91st percentile in zone contact rate (91.5%), and 93rd percentile in whiff rate (14.8%). Essentially, he knows which pitches to swing at, makes contact when he does, and lets his legs do the rest.
With Jarvis already occupying a spot on Atlanta’s 40-man roster, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him open next season either back in Gwinnett or on the Braves’ bench. Much of that will depend on how Anthopoulos addresses the organization’s current hole at shortstop.
Jarvis will be 26 years old next season, and I don’t necessarily view him as the shortstop of the future. Atlanta has several younger prospects with considerably higher ceilings competing for that distinction. But his defensive versatility, speed, and improving offensive approach give him a legitimate opportunity to become a useful utility player for the Braves. And considering how little fanfare surrounded his acquisition, that would be quite the return.
Brewer Hicklen (2017 | R7 P210 | UAB | $337,500)
The next three position players on this list fall more into that veteran category, and all three showed why they might simply be too good for Triple-A competition. We’ll start with Brewer Hicklen.
Hicklen has spent time with five organizations throughout his professional career: Kansas City, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Detroit, and now Atlanta. Despite that experience, he had appeared in just 10 major league games entering 2026. That changed this season when the 30-year-old outfielder made 20 appearances with the Braves, recording five singles, five doubles, eight walks, and 16 strikeouts.
However, the majority of his season was spent in Gwinnett, where he looked like a player with very little left to prove against minor league pitching. Across 96 games, Hicklen slashed .302/.373/.520 with an .893 OPS and 134 wRC+, adding 15 doubles, four triples, and 18 home runs.
Unlike some of the players we’ve already discussed, Hicklen was doing plenty of damage with the quality of his contact. His 89.2 mph average exit velocity ranked in the 72nd percentile, his 44.9% hard-hit rate in the 78th percentile, and his 11.7% barrel rate in the 89th percentile among Triple-A hitters.
The question, of course, is whether that production can translate into a more consistent major league opportunity. Hicklen clearly showed that he’s capable of handling Triple-A pitching, and there were occasional flashes of that ability during his time in Atlanta.
Still, on a Braves team hoping to contend for a World Series, the ideal scenario probably doesn’t involve relying heavily on him for major league at-bats. Perhaps another organization saw enough this season to offer him a legitimate opportunity to compete for a roster spot. At 30, he’s running out of time to establish himself as a big-league regular, but his production certainly warrants another look.
Rowdy Tellez (2013 | R30 P895 | Elk Grove | $850,000)
I’ll admit, seeing Rowdy Tellez playing regularly in Triple-A was a little strange. We’re talking about someone with 2,628 major league plate appearances under his belt. A player with that much experience should theoretically be able to handle minor league pitching, and that’s pretty much exactly what happened.
The 31-year-old appeared in 102 games with Gwinnett this season, slashing .267/.355/.466 with an .822 OPS and 116 wRC+. He also recorded 23 doubles and 16 home runs, giving us a familiar version of the Tellez we’ve watched throughout his major league career. He’s going to hit the ball hard, run into his share of extra-base hits, and also swing and miss. That’s simply the offensive profile we’ve come to know.
His underlying numbers backed that up. Tellez posted a 47.1% hard-hit rate, ranking in the 83rd percentile, while his 10.7% barrel rate landed in the 86th percentile. His 91.5 mph average exit velocity was even more impressive, ranking in the 91st percentile at the level.
There was still plenty of swing and miss in his game, but expecting Tellez to suddenly become a completely different hitter probably isn’t realistic. What matters is whether he can continue generating enough hard contact to make up for those weaknesses.
As he heads into 2027, Tellez will once again be searching for a major league opportunity. His performance in Gwinnett certainly helped his case, and his brief postseason stint with Atlanta this October gave him another chance to show what he could contribute.
Whether that’s enough to earn him a consistent big league role remains to be seen, but he did just about everything you could reasonably ask from a veteran playing in Triple-A.
Brett Wisely (2019 | R15 P458 | Gulf Coast CC | $125,000)
The final veteran position player on this list is Brett Wisely, a 27-year-old utility man who appeared in 168 major league games between 2023 and 2025.
Unfortunately for Wisely, he never received an opportunity to suit up for Atlanta this season, spending the entire year with Triple-A Gwinnett. That wasn’t because of a lack of production, however. Across 125 games with the Stripers, Wisely slashed an impressive .281/.399/.436 with an .835 OPS and 127 wRC+. He collected 29 doubles, two triples, and 11 home runs while also swiping 29 bases.
Wisely has never been a traditional power hitter. His offensive value comes more from consistent contact and finding the gaps than launching baseballs over the fence. Still, it was encouraging to see him reach double-digit home runs for the first time since 2022.
His underlying power metrics weren’t particularly impressive, with an 87.3 mph average exit velocity ranking in the 45th percentile, a 4.6% barrel rate in the 38th percentile, and a 33.9% hard-hit rate in just the 23rd percentile. However, as we’ve seen throughout this series, there’s more than one way to be a productive hitter.
He makes up for his lack of power with a patient approach, walking at an impressive 14.9% clip while striking out 20.1% of the time. When you combine that offensive approach with his ability to play all over the infield and even some outfield, there’s a lot to like about what Wisely could provide a major league roster.
Of the three veterans we’ve discussed, I actually think Wisely might have the clearest path toward earning a more consistent major league opportunity. Whether that opportunity comes in Atlanta is another question entirely.
(Ed. note: Wisely was added to Atlanta’s 40-man roster after the season, putting him in line to make the league minimum if he makes the team next spring. - LLC)
If the Braves elect not to bring Mauricio Dubón back next season, I wouldn’t completely rule out Wisely competing for a true utility role on the Opening Day roster. He’s not going to be a star, but a patient hitter who can play several positions and provide some speed off the bench is certainly someone worth keeping around.
The Arms That Caught My Attention
JR Ritchie (2022 | R1 P35 | Bainbridge | $2,400,000)
While Gwinnett’s position players featured several veterans trying to work their way back to the majors, the pitching staff is where we’ll find some of the organization’s more highly regarded prospects. And I don’t think there’s a better place to start than JR Ritchie.
One of two high school pitchers selected by Atlanta in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Ritchie immediately established himself as one of the organization’s more exciting young arms. Unfortunately, his development hit an early roadblock when he underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2023.
He returned in 2024, making 12 appearances across the complex, Single-A, and High-A levels while posting a 2.90 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 8.3% walk rate, and 27.3% strikeout rate. That success continued in 2025, when Ritchie made 26 appearances across three levels with a 2.64 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 9.6% walk rate, and 24.8% strikeout rate.
Entering 2026, many expected Ritchie to take the next step toward becoming a legitimate major league contributor. And that’s exactly what happened.
Ritchie earned his first call-up to Atlanta, making 11 starts and six appearances out of the bullpen. The overall results were inconsistent, but there were encouraging signs. He allowed three or fewer earned runs in six starts and recorded a strikeout rate of at least 25.0% in seven appearances. As a reliever, he posted a 2.45 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .188 batting average.
However, Ritchie struggled with his command, walking 13.2% of opposing hitters while posting a 26.0% chase rate and 22.4% whiff rate. Those numbers need to improve for him to consistently succeed against major league hitters.
Back in Gwinnett, Ritchie looked much more comfortable. Across 16 starts, he posted a 3.17 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 10.9% walk rate, and 26.2% strikeout rate. His 50.7% ground ball rate ranked in the 79th percentile, while his 31.0% called-strike-plus-whiff rate (CSW%) landed in the 81st percentile.
With relatively average chase and whiff rates for Triple-A, Ritchie’s effectiveness relies more on commanding his arsenal, getting ahead in counts, and generating ground balls than simply overpowering hitters. And with at least six distinct pitches at his disposal, there’s plenty for him to work with.
Assuming Atlanta doesn’t make any significant offseason additions that change the rotation picture, I expect Ritchie to spend considerable time with the big league club next season. He’s already shown that he can contribute as both a starter and reliever, giving the Braves flexibility in how they use him.
Personally, I’m excited to see what a full season working with Jeremy Hefner could do for his development. If Ritchie can improve his command and generate more chase, there’s a legitimate major league starter here.
Owen Murphy (2022 | R1 P20 | Riverside Brookfield | $2,556,900)
Remember how I mentioned Atlanta selected two high school pitchers in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft? Well, here’s the other one.
The Braves selected Owen Murphy with the 20th overall pick, 15 selections before taking JR Ritchie. Like Ritchie, Murphy quickly became one of the organization’s top pitching prospects before undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2024.
He returned midway through 2025, making one appearance at the complex before joining High-A Rome for six more starts. Across those seven outings, Murphy allowed just 15 hits, four earned runs, and six walks while striking out 29 batters. Not bad for someone returning from major elbow surgery.
Atlanta opened his 2026 campaign with Double-A Columbus, but he wouldn’t stay there for long. After just five starts, the Braves promoted Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he posted a 3.88 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 8.3% walk rate, and 27.0% strikeout rate across his first 11 starts.
That performance earned Murphy his first major league promotion, making his MLB debut on July 6 against the New York Mets. Unfortunately, his first taste of the majors didn’t go quite as planned. Murphy made one start and four relief appearances with Atlanta, struggling to limit hard contact against big league hitters. Still, getting that experience at just 22 years old is valuable, and I wouldn’t put too much stock into those early struggles.
Back in Gwinnett, Murphy finished the season with a 3.07 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 8.7% walk rate, and 24.2% strikeout rate across 18 starts. His 28.0% whiff rate and 28.6% chase rate were both slightly above average for the level, but what really stood out was his ability to consistently attack the strike zone. Murphy posted a 51.8% zone rate, ranking in the 90th percentile among Triple-A pitchers.
That’s a significant distinction between him and Ritchie. While Ritchie needs to improve his command and ability to generate ground balls, Murphy’s biggest issue has been preventing hitters from doing damage when he does throw strikes. Murphy doesn’t necessarily need to throw more strikes. Instead, he needs to become more effective at getting hitters to chase while limiting hard contact when they put the ball in play.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Murphy open 2027 back in Gwinnett as he continues refining his arsenal, but I fully expect him to return to Atlanta during the season.
Both Murphy and Ritchie have legitimate opportunities to become important pieces of the Braves’ future rotation. They’re no longer just intriguing prospects working their way through the system. They’re knocking on the door.
Blake Burkhalter (2022 | R2 P76 | Auburn | $647,500)
Oh, we aren’t done yet with pitchers from the 2022 Draft. The Braves selected Blake Burkhalter in the second round of that same draft as Ritchie and Murphy, 20 selections before taking a catcher by the name of Drake Baldwin. What a nice draft.
Burkhalter was an intriguing prospect coming out of Auburn, where he had established himself as one of the more effective relievers in college baseball. In 2021, he posted a 1.71 ERA and 31.3% strikeout rate before following it up with a 3.69 ERA and an even more impressive 38.6% strikeout rate in 2022.
Unfortunately, just like Ritchie and Murphy, Burkhalter underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023. When he returned in 2024, the Braves made the interesting decision to stretch him out as a starter, something they presumably had in mind when drafting him.
Burkhalter made 14 starts with High-A Rome that season, posting a 2.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 5.7% walk rate. However, his strikeout rate dropped to 22.4%, a noticeable decline from his dominant swing-and-miss numbers at Auburn. The following season, he opened with Double-A Columbus, making 14 starts with a 3.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.
Atlanta eventually promoted him to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he made two starts before transitioning back into a bullpen role for another 16 appearances. The results were mixed. Burkhalter finished with a 3.77 ERA at the level, but his strikeout rate fell to 17.6% while his walk rate climbed to 12.2%. Not exactly the developments you wanted to see from someone whose biggest strength coming out of college was missing bats.
Entering 2026, back spasms delayed Burkhalter’s season. He spent time at the complex, High-A, and Double-A working his way back before returning to Gwinnett on July 3. This time, the Braves kept him exclusively in the bullpen. And I think that decision paid off.
Across 21 relief appearances with the Stripers, Burkhalter posted a 2.43 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 9.8% walk rate, and 26.8% strikeout rate. He eventually earned his first major-league call-up, making his debut with Atlanta on September 1, although that would be his only big-league appearance of the season.
Back in a relief role, Burkhalter looked much more like the pitcher we saw dominating SEC hitters at Auburn. His 26.7% whiff rate and 30.5% chase rate returned to above-average levels, but his ability to limit hard contact was even more impressive. Burkhalter allowed a 27.6% hard-hit rate, ranking in the 88th percentile, and an 82.6 mph average exit velocity, good for the 92nd percentile.
That’s the kind of profile that can translate into a legitimate major league bullpen role.
Personally, I’d give Burkhalter every opportunity to begin 2027 in Atlanta’s bullpen. I’m not suggesting he should immediately be trusted in high-leverage situations, but I think he’s earned the chance to compete for one of the final spots.
With minor league options remaining, Atlanta can still move him back and forth from Gwinnett as needed. But if the Braves can get this version of Burkhalter consistently, there’s an opportunity to fill a bullpen role internally rather than searching for answers elsewhere. And considering how much time he’s missed throughout his professional career, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s still another level to his game.
Brett Sears (2024 | R7 P221 | Nebraska | $12,500)
The next pitcher on this list is one I’ve been particularly fond of for quite some time. As someone who followed Brett Sears during his college days at Nebraska, I’ve been excited to see how his game would translate to professional baseball. And after what he accomplished this season, I think it’s fair to say that excitement was warranted.
Sears was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 MLB Draft after an outstanding final season with the Cornhuskers. He posted a 2.16 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 4.7% walk rate, and 24.8% strikeout rate, establishing himself as one of the more effective pitchers in college baseball.
He didn’t make his professional debut until the following season, but once he finally got on the mound, he made up for lost time. Sears pitched at four different levels of Atlanta’s minor league system in his first professional campaign.
Most players would be thrilled to earn one promotion in their debut season. Sears managed three. His brief stint in Triple-A wasn’t particularly pretty, but considering how quickly he had climbed through the organization, some growing pains were hardly surprising.
Sears opened 2026 with Double-A Columbus, making 17 appearances, including 15 starts, while posting a 3.33 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 5.8% walk rate, and 29.7% strikeout rate. That earned him another opportunity in Gwinnett, and this time he looked considerably more comfortable.
Granted, we’re only talking about five starts, but it’s difficult not to be impressed. Sears allowed just 17 hits, eight walks, and five earned runs while striking out 34 batters. He pitched at least six innings in three starts and struck out six or more in four of the five.
What’s interesting is that Sears doesn’t necessarily possess an overwhelming swing-and-miss arsenal. Instead, he’s extremely effective at mixing pitches, keeping hitters off balance, and limiting quality contact. His 29.8% hard-hit rate, 82.3 mph average exit velocity, and 33.0% strikeout rate all ranked in the 90th percentile or better among Triple-A pitchers who faced at least 50 batters. Perhaps my favorite statistic? Sears didn’t allow a single barrel across 26 innings.
To me, Sears has something of a Bryce Elder profile. He relies more on pitchability and effectively mixing an arsenal of at least five pitches than overpowering opposing hitters. He can generate weak contact, induce ground balls, and get hitters to chase by changing speeds.
I’m not entirely sure where Sears fits into Atlanta’s long-term pitching plans. The organization certainly isn’t lacking starting pitching depth, and several more highly regarded prospects are ahead of him. But at some point, production has to matter.
Sears has done just about everything the Braves have asked of him, and I think he’s quickly approaching a legitimate major league opportunity. I’d love to see him receive some innings during Spring Training, and depending on how Atlanta’s offseason plays out, I wouldn’t rule out a big league debut in 2027.
Rolddy Muñoz (2018 | IFA | DR | N/A)
We’ll close out this series with a pitcher who has shown flashes of being a legitimate major league reliever for several years now, but has yet to consistently put everything together: Rolddy Muñoz.
The Braves originally signed Muñoz as an 18 year o18-year-oldhe 2018 international free agency period, and it’s been a long road through the organization ever since.
He didn’t reach Double-A until 2024, when he was already 24 years old, posting a 3.98 ERA across 31 appearances. The following season, Muñoz improved to a 2.11 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 25 appearances with Columbus before earning a promotion to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he posted a 4.15 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 16 appearances.
If you remember, Muñoz made his major league debut in 2025 as well. Unfortunately, he allowed five earned runs and five walks across just 3.2 innings in three appearances.
Muñoz returned to Gwinnett for the majority of 2026, making 43 appearances with a 3.31 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 12.0% walk rate, and an impressive 31.6% strikeout rate. He also received another brief opportunity in Atlanta, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three across two innings. Again, the big league results weren’t what anyone wanted to see.
But when you dig into his underlying numbers from Triple-A, it’s easy to understand why the Braves haven’t given up on him. Muñoz brings legitimate velocity out of the bullpen, averaging 95.9 mph on his fastball, ranking in the 87th percentile. His 33.4% called-strike-plus-whiff rate and 38.2% whiff rate both ranked in the 90th percentile or better.
And it wasn’t just a matter of throwing hard and missing bats. Muñoz also posted an 85.7 mph average exit velocity, ranking in the 75th percentile, while his 75.9% zone contact rate landed in the 85th percentile. His 59.2% groundball rate was even more impressive, ranking in the 92nd percentile.
We’re talking about a reliever who throws hard, misses bats, limits quality contact, and generates ground balls at an impressive rate. Sounds like someone the Braves could use, right? Well, there’s one significant problem. He simply hasn’t been able to consistently throw strikes.
Muñoz ranked in just the 18th percentile in zone rate this season and walked 12.0% of opposing hitters. That’s a difficult combination to overcome, especially against major league hitters who are better equipped to punish mistakes. To me, that’s the biggest reason he hasn’t been able to establish himself in Atlanta despite having such intriguing stuff.
His four-seam fastball, sinker, and slider combination has legitimate back-end bullpen potential. The stuff is there, the ability to miss bats is there, and even the ability to limit hard contact is there. He just needs to throw more competitive strikes.
I’d expect Muñoz to open next season back in Gwinnett, but I’m interested to see whether Jeremy Hefner and Atlanta’s pitching staff can help him make a few adjustments. Because if they can get even a little more consistent command out of Muñoz, I genuinely believe there’s a major league reliever worth developing. And wouldn’t that be a nice way for the Braves to address another bullpen need without having to look outside the organization?