The North Port Report: Prospect Garrett Baumann Makes First Statcast Start
Here's everything you need to know from Braves Spring Training in North Port, FL from Monday
Welcome to The North Port Report, your nightly notebook from Braves spring training. Each evening, we’ll run through the biggest developments from camp: roster battles, injury updates, standout performances, and the small details that matter more than they seem in February. The games may not count yet, but the information does.
Here’s what stood out today
The Braves headed to Sarasota to take on the Orioles, with pitching prospect Garrett Baumann getting the start. Similar to JR Ritchie yesterday, the final stats were positive but there were clearly things to work on.
Baumann finished with two scoreless, hitless innings, striking out one.1 He flashed a six-pitch arsenal, but was heater-heavy, with 21 of his 30 pitches being either sinkers or four-seamers. Only two whiffs on twelve swings, but six more called strikes and an absurd 18 inches of IVB on his low-to-mid-90s fastball.
Longman candidate José Suarez pitched the next two innings, going changeup-heavy, and struck out three but allowed two walks. His velo isn’t all the way up early in spring - neither was Baumann’s - but it’s clear that he’s not a guy that Atlanta is comfortable disposing of. If there’s a way to get him on the roster as the longman, they probably should do that in lieu of designating him for assignment at the end of spring.
On the offensive side, we proved that either slander works or revenge games are real. (Or maybe both). After I commented on Saturday that Jorge Mateo wasn’t particularly impressive in the Grapefruit League opener against Tampa Bay, Mateo hit a grand slam against his former Orioles club and farmhand Cohen Achen today as part of an eight-run 6th inning for Atlanta. Eli White and Nacho Alvarez both doubled, while Nacho had two RBI and White & veteran Dom Smith each drove in one.
Also of some concern: Chadwick Tromp left the game after a hit-by-pitch. This wasn’t a planned substitution - Alex Lodise was inserted to run for him and then the Braves needed to make another substitution to have a catcher in the game on defense. No word yet on his condition, but hopefully he’s okay.
Quick Hits
Reynaldo López will make his first start of spring on Tuesday at home versus the Tigers, who are coming up from Lakeland. They’re sending out Enmanuel De Jesus to the mound, who just returned to MLB after two seasons in the KBO.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported that the Braves are reportedly “not as intrigued” in free agent starters Lucas Gilito or Zack Littell “as you’d expect” them to be. Which tracks. Ever since the team got the positive health updates on the rotation back in early December, prior to the Winter Meetings, they’ve been pretty insistent that they were looking for an impact starter, and neither Littell nor Giolito currently projects to be that. With thirteen games in thirteen days to open the season, odds are high that Joey Wentz currently has the inside track on a spot start for Atlanta in that first week. More on that tomorrow.
The Braves signed Tom Glavine’s son, Peyton Glavine, to a minor league deal. A lefty pitcher just like his dad, the younger Glavine will report to Double-A Columbus. An undrafted free agent after the 2021 season, injuries have limited him to just 76.1 relief innings across the last five seasons. Washington released him in January.
Roster Battle Tracker
Stock UP
Eli White. He wasn’t in any danger of not making the Opening Day roster, but not only is he continuing to perform early in spring, but he’s also making quality contact. He was 2-for-3 with an RBI today and had a batted ball on Saturday at 111.9 mph, which would be a career-high (previous was 109.6 on one of his Speedway Classic homeruns last year). I know that we’re all excited about Mike Yastrzemski and I’ve questioned the lack of a succession plan in left field after 2027, but Eli White just might be that guy. If Michael Harris II goes down for an injury this year (or gets sent down for poor performance), I wouldn’t be shocked to see Eli White take an everyday job in the outfield and run with it at an above-average level.
Stock DOWN
With the caveats here that it is only one game early in spring, Ian Hamilton didn’t look like a legitimate candidate for the final bullpen spot in his relief inning today. Starting the 7th inning but not being able to get out of the frame, he issued two walks (the second being on only five pitches) and an absolutely scorched 106.1 mph double to left. His velocity was between 3.6 and 4.3 mph slower than his most recent MLB experience, although there’s plenty of time for that to climb towards his norms before the end of spring training. On fifteen swings, he picked up exactly one whiff and generally didn’t look comfortable on the mound in Sarasota.
Observation of the Day
This isn’t specifically Braves related, but…
There were fourteen spring training games played on Monday. Of those, exactly FIVE were televised and one of those that wasn’t, White Sox vs Rockies, also didn’t have a radio option.
That’s right: In the year 2026, there was a game between two MLB teams that had zero broadcast options.
I know it’s spring training and we really shouldn’t be subjected to an exhibition game between the White Sox and Rockies, especially when it gets past the sixth inning and things go off the rails, but this is absurd. Every game needs some way for fans who can’t travel to spring training to at least get regular updates other than watching the league’s Gameday page for that specific game.
Tomorrow’s watch list
Where is Reynaldo López’s velocity in his first official start? Do Michael Harris and Ozzie Albies look more like themselves at the plate? And which of the relievers impresses in an open battle for the final bullpen spot?
Adley Rutschman, on a foul tip, in the first inning
I really like Suárez. I’m a little less sold on Wentz, but I still hope the Braves find a way to keep both of them.
With Baumann, I think he went to Driveline last summer and came back throwing harder, but the command wasn’t quite there. Listening on the radio, though, it sounded like he had better feel — maybe even more controlled velocity on certain pitches, kind of like what we heard about JR Ritchie the day before.
To me, that’s the smarter approach. You don’t need to throw every pitch like it’s your last one at max effort. It’s about hitting spots, staying under control, and using your velocity strategically instead of trying to overpower everyone every single pitch.
Has anyone commented on Baumann's approach this year? If there is another injury to a starter do you think JR Richie has a better than everyone else chance to break with the club? (I know another Baldwin type ROY possible? Is JR Richie on any top 100 lists or enough of them?)