The Braves have two of the top 40 overall and four of the top 60 overall.
We are less than a week away from the trade deadline, and Fangraphs has just released its revised Top 100 list, which includes four Atlanta Braves players, including a speedy climber.
AJ Smith-Shawver is at the top, ranking 23rd overall. Fangraphs’ report on Smith-Shawver, which I highly recommend reading, said the following:
Smith-Shawver may have some early-career speedbumps but he could have a star peak during a career mostly spent as a mid-rotation starter.
Coming in next is catching prospect Drake Baldwin, who was outside the Top 100 at the start of the season but is now ranked 36th overall, a significant jump after a solid showing at Triple-A Gwinnett (30 games,.284/.424/.474).
Hurston Waldrep, a 52-year-old starter, has a middle-of-the-rotation potential and an MLB closer floor, according to Fangraphs. Hurston spent the majority of the season in Double-A, making nine starts with an 8.76 K/9 and a 2.92 ERA before being promoted to Gwinnett for one start. Hurston had a tough start in Atlanta before being sent to the IL, but he is currently rehabbing with the FCL Braves.
Finally, we have Nacho Alvarez Jr., who is ranked 57th overall. Nacho, the Braves’ SS/2B, hit.265/.381/.312 in 48 games for the Mississippi Braves before being moved to Gwinnett, where he began obliterating the ball, hitting.336/.432/.575 before being elevated to Atlanta due to Ozzie Albies’ injury.
The report also included an updated farm system rankings, with the Braves climbing all the way to 16th. You can go back a year and they were ranked 25th, indicating some good work by the Braves scouting and development teams.