More than any other team in the league, the Atlanta Braves were dependent on the trade market. They were somewhat overtaken by the New York Mets in the NL Wild Card chase for a period. But they’ve recently managed to get back on course.
They went to the market to get a few key players despite having some significant holes on their roster—mostly from injury. They still have some significant gaps in their roster, primarily in the starting rotation and depth. At this time, they will have to upgrade their own agricultural system.
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3. Double-A, LHP, Luis De Avila
It would take extremely fortunate circumstances for the first player on this list to make his major league debut. He is the least probable player to see time in the major leagues. The guy in question is Luis De Avila, a left-handed starter with the Braves Double-A club. Let’s examine several possible approaches to bringing him up.
De Avila is a lefty and has demonstrated good throwing at the Double-A level, which is a huge bonus for the Braves. The 23-year-old’s maturity and pitching arsenal have grown. The fact that Atlanta’s rotation of pitchers is already thin increases the likelihood that he will be mentioned.
However, it is most likely that he will make his debut in the bullpen. Although the Braves’ bullpen has performed admirably, Atlanta could use additional left-handed depth as teams strive for the postseason and rosters grow to forty men. Among the Braves’ top 30 prospects, De Avila has shown to be the finest left-handed pitcher.
He might not be available at the trade deadline, but if he is, he might be the left-handed reliever Atlanta considered adding.
Second, Nacho Alvarez Jr., Triple-A, SS
One of the more obvious choices the Braves could make is this one. The fact that Alvarez suffered a lot while playing in the major levels is the one thing working against him. Alvarez was 3-for-30 in his first outing, scoring one run and striking out ten times. Though he didn’t quite look like he belonged, he would be a wonderful fit back on the big league team if he could regain his confidence and swing in Triple-A.
The Braves are in dire need of more depth in the infield. Orlando Arcia has not fared well overall, and Ozzie Albies has missed time due to injuries. Alvarez hasn’t performed well in the major leagues, but he was dominant at Triple-A, and he could salvage his season in the majors if he can approach the Braves with genuine confidence.
For the majority of trade season, Atlanta was examining the infielder market. They were considering every possibility, including the possibility of Bo Bichette and Paul DeJong, to cover gaps in their ailing lineup. Alvarez is the most suitable choice for their roster. Alvarez is also most likely going to be the Braves shortstop of the future.
AJ Smith-Shawver, Triple-A RHP
The Braves’ starting rotation has always had the largest vacancy on their roster. They haven’t had a fifth starting all season, and Max Fried and Reynaldo Lopez’s injuries have given them fresh concerns. They have experimented with all of their best prospects in the fifth starting place due to their rotation’s lack of major league quality. Although Spencer Schwellenbach has been the best Braves prospect in the major leagues thus far, Atlanta will require another prospect to take over if they lose another starter.
AJ Smith-Shawver, the best prospect in Atlanta, is the next man up for the position. Had Smith-Shawver not been wounded in his first big league start of the season, he would still be in the major leagues. He had a successful first start of the season, pitching 4.1 innings without giving up a run before being relieved due to an injury. The 21-year-old has made four starts in the minor levels since coming off the injured list, giving up seven hits and six earned runs in 13.1 innings.
The starting pitcher the Braves choose not to commit to in the trade market would return the team’s best prospect to the main league roster. His ceiling is the highest of all the people in the company.
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