7 Braves players to keep an eye on in 2024

7 Braves players to keep an eye on in 2024

It’s less than a month till baseball season begins, so don’t bother checking your calendars. Braves pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on February 15th, and it will only be a matter of time before Opening Day after that. The thought of the Braves going for another World Series ring should excite everyone. Though the future seems bright, the continued prosperity of Atlanta depends just as much on what takes place on the farm. Though the Braves don’t have the best farm system in baseball—far from it—there are a few players to keep an eye on in 2024 who may be playing at Truist Park.

* MLB.com Prospect Ranking

AJ Smith-Shawver (Rank: 1 for the Braves Prospects)
We may not be looking at Smith-Shawver as a potential for a very long time. Though everyone is anxious for him to make a quick impact, he will be fighting for the fifth slot in the rotation out of Spring Training. It may be better for him to earn some more stripes in Gwinnett for the first couple months of the season. Even though Smith-Shawver was unbeatable in Rome and Mississippi, it seemed that in Gwinnett and Atlanta, the opposition surpassed him. It wasn’t a slight on him; in fact, it was anticipated. The previous season, he was just 20 years old. His debut in the Major League Baseball is evidence of his talent.

Hurston Waldrep (Rank 2 on the Braves Prospect Ranking)
In my opinion, Waldrep and Smith-Shawver are the Braves system’s 1A and 1B. I am that high on Waldrep. Waldrep came up the system quickly in his first professional season, finishing the year with a start in Gwinnett. He would end up with eight starts, a 1.53 ERA, and a 12.6 K/9 for the season. One of the greatest arms available in the draft was Waldrep, therefore I was surprised when the Braves selected him at pick 21. Similar to Smith-Shawver, Waldrep is unlikely to be a prospect for very long; yet, if he does, he will undoubtedly be at the top of MLB prospect rankings at the conclusion of the season.

The Braves Prospect Rank for Cade Kuehler is 4.
The Braves selected Kuehler in the second round of the previous draft. He has one of the greatest fastballs in the class, with a high-90s fastball. Last season, he only made two starts for Augusta, but in seven innings, he struck out eight batters and gave up just one hit. Another arm with a lot of upside potential that may go swiftly through the system is Kuehler.