We just updated our farm system rankings for the 2024 season; here’s our scouting profiles for numbers 10 through 6 on the list, headlined by a wave of position players who are all working their way to Truist Park.
Between the promotions of young players and the frequent trades to upgrade the major league roster, the farm system of the Atlanta Braves is widely considered to have fallen into the bottom third in baseball as far as quality and quantity.
But here at Braves Today, we’re bullish on both Atlanta’s talent in the minor leagues and the organization’s reputation and track record of developing that talent.
We just updated our farm system rankings for the 2024 season; here’s our scouting profiles for numbers 10 through 6 on the list, headlined by a wave of position players who are all working their way to Truist Park.
(Criteria used for prospect eligibility is: less than 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched, or 45 days on the MLB roster)
Entry to the organization: 2023 MLB Draft, Round 2 (Campbell University)
2023 Production: Single-A: 7 IP, 1H, 0R, 4 BB to 8 Ks
Scouting report: Kuehler threw a ton of pitches in college, but pared things down for his two professional starts with Augusta. The arsenal’s highlighted by a hellacious four-seam fastball, coming in at around 95 mph with an elite-level 20 inches of induced vertical break, allowing it to play up in the zone. He mostly focused on a power look as a pro, with a gyro slider in the mid-to-upper-80s and a low-to-mid-80s splitter that looks like a fastball out of the hand before dropping off the table late.
Whether or not Kuehler brings back the curveball and cutter he threw in college will be predicated on his ability to throw them for strikes, with biomechanical inconsistencies in the delivery adding deception but damaging the control a bit from where it needs to be. An ideal start to 2024 is opening up in High-A Rome followed by a late season promotion to Double-A Mississippi, but workload will be a concern – Kuehler threw only 80 innings combined between college and the minors in 2023 and probably can’t be counted on to go much over 100 or 110, potentially limiting his late-season availability.
Scouting report: McCabe’s probably the best power hitter in Atlanta’s farm system, but he’s not a one-trick pony: With a contact rate of over 80% on the season and 10 stolen bases, he’s shown some well-roundedness to his profile. His offensive game is much better as a left-handed hitter, with an OPS almost 140 points better than when he hits right-handed.
Primarily a first baseman in college, Atlanta’s worked him plenty at third base as a professional but his future to major league playtime is a first baseman and designated hitter, due to sub-standard range and poor transfers. Fortunately, Atlanta’s DH spot could come open as early as 2025.