Meet the Next Wave of Braves Talent

A full-system look at the prospects to watch as the 2026 minor league season begins.

The Atlanta Braves are 5-2 to start the 2026 season, which already feels a whole lot better than the 0-7 hole we all had to sit through last year. The pitching has been better than expected, and the lineup has done just enough to get things going.

But while the big league club is off to a solid start, this is also the time of year when attention starts to shift towards the minor leagues. Triple-A is already underway, and now the rest of the system is getting going.

For a few years now, the Braves farm system has lived in the bottom tier of rankings, despite producing the major league talent we have. However, that is not exactly surprising when you consider how aggressive the organization is with promotions and how much of that talent has graduated to the major league roster.

And if we are being honest, part of it is simply a lack of trust externally in what Atlanta does from a development standpoint. That is where I push back a bit. Time and again, this organization has developed players who outperformed where the national consensus had them.

Now it feels like that narrative is starting to shift. The Braves have done a better job recently of building out more talent across the system, and that should only continue with another strong draft class on the way. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at some names Braves fans should be paying attention to this year.

Augusta GreenJackets (Single-A)

Augusta was arguably the most fun affiliate in the system last year, and while a lot of those names have moved up, there is still plenty here worth watching.

On the mound, Rayven Antonio stands out right away. Signed for just $10,000 out of Colombia in 2023, he has quietly put together an impressive start to his career. He dominated early in the DSL, handled the transition stateside, and last year at just 19 years old showed he could hold his own over a full season.

Across 171 professional innings, he has allowed just seven home runs. The fastball sits mid-90s and can touch 98, and it pairs well with a slider that generates plenty of swing and miss. Add in a strong ground ball profile (55.6%), and you start to see the foundation of a pitcher who could move quickly if he improves his command.

On the infield side, you have last year’s top two draft picks in Tate Southisene and Alex Lodise.

Southisene’s first taste of pro ball was rough, which is not uncommon for a prep bat thrown directly into Single-A. The whiff rate (40.2%) and strikeout rate (40.9%) were high, and the overall production (.539 OPS) was not where you want it. But there are still reasons to be optimistic. The underlying power is real, producing the second-highest EV90 (105.4 mph) among all teenagers drafted last season, only behind Ethan Holiday. Now that he has a year under his belt, this is where you hope things start to slow down for him.

Lodise had a similar experience, just from a different background. Coming out of Florida State as a Golden Spikes finalist and a 1.167 OPS, expectations were high. The jump to High-A quickly exposed some swing-and-miss concerns, with a 32.8% whiff rate and a 38.5% strikeout rate. Some of this may have been fatigue after a long college season, but the concerns are real. Starting him in Augusta this year feels like a reset more than anything. If he finds a rhythm early, he should not be there long.

We will get to see Jose Perdomo make his debut in Single-A this year. The former 4th ranked international free agent in 2024, the Braves signed him to a whopping $5 million. He only played eight games in the DSL before injury, but was still pushed to the complex last season at 18 years old. Once considered one of the best hitters in his class, Perdomo has failed to live up to that hype with a .544 OPS at the complex. Still, heading into his age 19 season he still has time to prove himself.

Then, in the outfield, there is Luis Guanipa, who likely has a make-or-break season on his hands despite being 20 years old. After singing for $2.3 million, he has yet to produce as expected. Injuries slowed him down the last couple of seasons. In a system that continues to add outfield talent, it is fair to say he has been passed by other prospects.

But the contact ability is still intriguing. He recorded just a 17.6% whiff rate and 11.1% strikeout rate despite having a swing rate over 50%. If he can stay healthy and show a little more impact with the bat, he can put himself right back in the conversation.

Conor Essenburg will be making his professional debut this year in Augusta as well. He was drafted in the 5th round of last year’s draft, but signed for well over slot at $1.2 million. The former two-way prep star will be hanging up the pitching glove to hit full time. His arm will still play in the outfield. At the plate, he has 50/55 grade power that is a welcomed sight to an organization lacking in power.

He is not starting out in Augusta, but if Diego Tornes hits his way to Single-A this will be far and away my personal favorite team to watch.

Rome Emperors (High-A)

If Augusta was the team to watch last year, Rome might take that title this season.

It starts with Cam Caminiti, who has quickly become the top prospect in the organization. For someone so young, he just looks comfortable out there. Last year in Augusta, he produced a 2.08 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 31.9% strikeout rate, and 32.1% whiff rate across 13 games at age 19.

The fastball has life, averaging in the mid-90s and reaching the upper 90s, and the secondary pitches are advanced for his age. He has a low-80’s slider and a kick change that pairs well with his fastball. This organization has a track record of helping pitchers expand their arsenals, and if that happens here, you are talking about a really high ceiling arm.

In the infield, John Gil and Cody Miller bring two very different but equally interesting profiles.

Gil feels like one of those players who keeps getting better the more you watch him. Signing for $110,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2023, he experienced the largest jump in production last season.

The contact improved, the power started to show up, and he earned opportunities at higher levels as a result. There is still development ahead, but the trajectory is pointing in the right direction. His .731 OPS was the 10th-best, and his 0.89 BB/K was the 6th-best for all qualified teenagers in Single-A. This earned him a small taste at Double-A to end last season, and a call-up to big league camp for spring training, where he would smack two home runs.

Miller, on the other hand, just hits. He has done it at every level so far, and his ability to move around defensively only adds to his value. He was drafted last year out of ETSU where the lowest batting average he recorded was .318 his freshman year, and would record a 1.052 OPS and 18 home runs his final season. He would split time in Augusta and Rome last season, combining to bat .327 with an .830 OPS. Miller spent time at second base, third base, and shortstop last season, and also saw time in the outfield in college. He may not get the same level of attention, but he is the type of player who can force his way into the conversation if he keeps producing.

The outfield group is another reason to keep an eye on Rome. Isaiah Drake continues to trend upward, especially with how much he improved at the plate last year, raising his Single-A batting average by 100 points and his OPS by nearly 200 points from 2024 to 2025. The plus speed and defense are already there, so if the bat keeps coming along into his age 21 season, that is where things get interesting.

Owen Carey was a 15th-round draft pick in last year’s draft who had a surprisingly strong debut. In Augusta, he recorded the 11th-best batting average out of all qualified teenagers in Single-A (.258, tied with John Gil). He rarely whiffs (21.1%) and does not strike out as much as your typical 18-year-old (15.6%).

Eric Hartman was the 20th round pick back in 2024 who already impressed. He spent the majority of his time in Single-A, where he would quietly put up one of the better seasons in the league. His 113 wRC+ (12th), .718 OPS (15th), and .248 AVG (16th) ranked amongst the best teenagers in Single-A.

And then there is Logan Braunschweig, who may not get as much attention but quietly held his own right away. A senior signing from UAB last season, he was thrown directly into High-A, where he would produce a .294 average and .759 OPS in 26 games. He is a bit older for the level, so the expectations are different, but if the production continues, he will move.

Columbus Clingstones (Double-A)

Rome is where things start to feel real, and for the Braves, this is where the pitching depth really stands out.

Owen Murphy is one of the most interesting names in the system right now. Coming back from Tommy John surgery last season, he gave up just four earned runs and six walks, while striking out 29 across 27.1 innings. This spring, he impressed in big league camp, where he would give up just one run and one walk while striking out six in his four innings pitched. One of my realistic hot takes is that we end up seeing Owen Murphy in Atlanta this season. If the stuff is there, I believe he has a real chance.

Jhancarlos Lara might have the highest upside of the group, especially in a bullpen role. The fastball is electric, reaching triple digits and averaging 98 mph last season. The slider is already a legitimate weapon that produced a 52.2% whiff rate on 547 pitches in Triple-A last season. The question is control. He has a 12.0 K/9 in his four-year professional career, and he also maintains a 6.6 BB/9 and 1.51 WHIP. If he can even take a step forward there, it is easy to picture him pitching high-leverage innings in Atlanta sooner rather than later.

Garrett Baumann and Herick Hernandez both bring intriguing profiles as well. Baumann recorded a 3.42 ERA and 1.17 WHIP at Single-A in 2024. The 6’8 righty then backed that up by repeating almost the same numbers in High-A. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and has room to reach the upper 90s, but his secondaries are still a work in progress. It comes down to continuing to develop his secondary pitches, and those showed promise in big league camp as he allowed three hits and two runs, but struck out five to zero walks in four innings.

Herick Hernandez is a 5’10 lefty that has done nothing but produce since coming to the Braves organization. Last year in Rome, he recorded a 3.57 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 28.5% strikeout and 35.2% whiff rate. Like Lara, he struggles with his command, walking 15.3% of batters faced. He has a four-pitch mix of a mid-90s fastball, his go-to slider, and a curveball and splitter, which are still works in progress.

The one position player here to keep an eye on is Ambioris Tavarez. This feels like a pivotal year for him after being signed for $1.5 million a few years back. The tools are still there, but the production has not matched expectations yet with a career .213 average and .625 OPS. Now 22 years old, there is no room for error. At some point, it has to come together, and if it does not happen this year, it becomes harder to project a path forward.

Gwinnett Stripers (Triple-A)

Gwinnett is always interesting because these are the players you are most likely to see in Atlanta at some point during the season.

JR Ritchie is the clear headliner, being a top 100 prospect in baseball. Since returning from surgery, he has done nothing but move quickly through the system. He may not overpower hitters, but the ability to command upwards of six different pitches and generate weak contact is something that translates. After throwing 12 innings this spring to a 2.25 ERA and 0.58 WHIP, it feels like a matter of when, not if, we see him in Atlanta.

Lucas Braun is another arm that could factor in this year. He is a bit older, but the performance has been consistent. Last season between Columbus and Gwinnett, he recorded a 3.67 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 17.8% K-BB rate. He has command of five pitches and projects to give Atlanta quality innings in the near future.

The bullpen group is also worth watching closely.

James Karinchak is trying to work his way back to the big leagues. If he looks anything like his form in the early 2020s, this is a low-risk, high-reward addition. He allowed just one hit, striking out nine and walking four this spring across 4.2 innings, leading many to believe we will see him in Atlanta soon enough.

Rolddy Muñoz and Hayden Harris both have experience and could step in at any point. Muñoz earned a brief stint in the bigs after recording a 2.85 ERA and 1.30 WHIP across 60 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last year. His MLB debut did not go as planned, as his struggles with command reared its head. Muñoz has a high 90s four-seamer and sinker that sets up his go-to slider, which produced a 44.2% whiff rate on 191 thrown last year in Gwinnett.

Harris in particular feels like one of those guys you just root for, given the path he has taken to get here. From Georgia Southern to the MLB Draft League to the Savannah Bananas, he has worked harder than most to get to where he is. Last year he produced a 0.52 ERA and 0.75 WHIP across 52 innings between Columbus and Gwinnett, earning a big league call up. Although he has a low 90s fastball, he had some of the best hard-hit and whiff rates in the minor leagues. Hard to believe the lefty won’t make it back this season.

On the position player side, Jim Jarvis and Nacho Alvarez Jr. are the names to watch. Jarvis was acquired last year from Detroit in the Rafael Montero trade. Upon joining the organization, he would bat .265 in his first 21 games in Columbus, and then .333 in three games in Gwinnett. Jarvis brings versatility in the infield and contact ability, which always plays at the next level.

Alvarez Jr. is a bit more interesting because we have already seen flashes of what he can be. He has a career minor league .280 average and .786 OPS, yet has never really jumped off the page. Last season, he was called upon to take Austin Riley’s spot at third base after he went down with an injury. After a slow start, he rebounded to record a .234 average, though striking out 49 times to just 12 walks. Nacho was sent to the Arizona Fall League this past offseason, where he impressed with a .324/.457/.486 slash line and .943 OPS. Alvarez Jr. then followed that up with an opportunity to play with the Mexico national team in the World Baseball Classic, where he would record three hits in 11 at-bats, including a home run. If the bat takes another step, he could carve out a real role as infield depth.

Outlook

At the end of the day, this system is in a much better spot than it was a couple of years ago. There may not be a long list of top-100 prospects, but there is more depth, more upside, and more players who feel like they could impact the big-league club in some way.

The best part is that there is more on the way. With four top 100 picks in this year’s draft and names like Diego Tornes, Conor Essenburg, and Briggs McKenzie still yet to debut, this system is trending in the right direction..

If you are looking for the next wave of Braves talent, this is the group to get familiar with now.