2017 GCL Braves Review

2017 Minor League Recaps
DSL

On Friday, the Gulf Coast League Braves finished their season with a 7-0 win over the GCL Tigers East. Well, technically, they had another game on the schedule, but the game was canceled due to rain, leaving the GCL Braves at 31-28. It was the first time since 2003 that the GCL Braves finished the regular season over .500, though they did finish at .500 twice. There was some hope for a playoff spot, but a late-season three-game slide (including back-to-back losses to eventual division champ Yankees East) killed the chances that the GCL Braves would go to the playoffs in back-to-back years.

The team was a mix of some of the best talents from last year's July 2 class and some of the Braves' top draft choices from June. Midseason promotions to Danville hurt the lineup especially, but the GCL Braves still had enough firepower to enter the final day of the season with the league's sixth-best offense despite its third-youngest team. Their pitching staff was also especially young with the fourth-youngest group of arms in the league. Despite that, they closed the year with a 3.18 ERA, good for fourth in the league.

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2017 GCL Braves Pitcher of the Year - Miguel Jerez
Similar to Odalvi Javier, one of GCL Braves' top pitchers last year, Jerez isn't going to stand out when you grade his game. His stuff isn't top prospect-worthy and his velocity won't amaze bystanders. However, like Javier, the parts of Jerez's game that stand out is his ability to throw quality strikes and challenge the hitter. He opened the season with four games in the DSL, which is where he pitched last year after signing with the organization in May. By the beginning of the GCL season, he received a promotion and over 15 games, including one start, Jerez showed he could handle baseball in the states. In 39 games, he allowed just six earned runs. Don't worry, I will do the math for you - 1.38 ERA. He also struck out 35 compared to just ten walks. Jerez might not be a top prospect right now - or even a Top 50 prospect - but as long as the lefty continues to contribute, he'll continue to deserve attention.

2017 GCL Braves Player of the Year - Jeffrey Ramos
Though he spent most of August in Danville, Ramos finished with nearly a third of the GCL Braves' home runs (6 of 21) and he did that while at the tender age of 18. In a sign that the Braves liked his maturity, Ramos was signed last July 2 and less than three weeks later, he made his professional debut. He struggled considerably, slashing .230/.283/.333 - though only 13 of his 138 PA came against pitchers he was older than. That last nugget didn't change much this year (194 of 209 PA came against pitchers older than him), but that didn't stop Ramos from exploding onto the scene. Ramos was especially good right before his promotion to Danville. In his final 13 games at the GCL level, he slashed a robust .458/.526/.833, which I'm told is good. He also hit four of his six homers during the run. You can see why the Braves took pity on the Gulf Coast League and promoted him up a level. He wasn't as explosive in Appalachian League, but the outfielder still hit .278 with his seventh homer of the year in 78 PA. Ramos has done nothing but impress and will likely join Rome to open 2018.

Other Names to Remember
Yunior Severino, 2B - One of the top bats from last year's J2 class, Severino was also one of the few prospects who stuck around all season for GCL while others moved on. He slashed .286/.345/.444, which is rather impressive for a 17-year old. He also finished second to Baltimore's Will Robertson in doubles with 17 and it's worth mentioning that Robertson is five years older than Severino. The switch-hitter will have to work on strikeouts, though. Nearly 30% of all of his PA ended in a strikeout, which can be killer on a hitter once he reaches the better secondary pitches found in Double-A. That said, the Braves have to be happy with the production they did receive from the young middle infielder.

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Jean Carlos Encarnacion, 3B - Like Ramos, JCE spent most of August in Danville. Before the promotion, he was hitting .350/.374/.563. The only reason I went with Ramos for Player of the Year was that the outfielder showed more power and is slightly younger. Nevertheless, at just 19, JCE's accomplishments cannot be ignored either. JCE added eight doubles, four triples, and a pair of home runs to his stat-line before joining Danville, where he hit .290/.316/.355 with a homer. On defense, JCE has a strong arm but will need to work on accuracy. He's very nimble at third, though, and shows good instincts. At the plate, he has a big frame and should develop more power as he matures.

Livan Soto, SS - All in all, it would be easy to call Soto's first season a disappointment. He hit just .225 with five doubles. But when the season began for him on June 26, he was just four days removed from his 17th birthday. Unsurprisingly, he never faced a pitcher older than him - which makes his 27 walks to 26 strikeouts a bit more impressive. Soto, another seven-digit earner from last year's J2 class, won't mash the ball but is expected to fill out the stats line everywhere else. As he matures (he was listed at 160 pounds), Soto could develop into a second-division starter or supersub with the ability to play a capable shortstop. In addition to shortstop, he also played three games across the bag at second and started one game in center field.

Braulio Vasquez, 3B - One of the few DSL performers last year who flashed a nice hit tool, Vasquez was rolling through the first 31 games of the year with a .310/.402/.380 slash. He was also doing something that is one of my favorite minor league things - more triples than doubles. However, he bottomed-out in his final 16 games with a .192/.311/.231 run. Vasquez is a bit of a fan favorite. He shows a good understanding of the strike zone, a quick first step on the bases, and a good arm at third. In what is rapidly turning into a common line, he was rather young this year at 18. To stay at third, the 6-footer is going to have to flash some pop as nine extra base hits (no homers) in 292 career PA isn't going to cut it.

Abraham Gutierrez, C - For what it's worth, it might be spelled Abrahan. However it's spelled, at just 17, Gutierrez is one of those guys who may have needed a run in the DSL. Nevertheless, there he was, slashing .264/.319/.357 and flashing his plus-plus defensive skills behind the plate in the Gulf Coast League. There's good debate whether he or Danville's Wilson Conthass have the best arm in the system, but regardless of where you fall - hard for me not to side with Conteras - both have the skills to impress at catcher. I can't wait to get to see Gutierrez next year in Danville.

Yoeli Lopez, OF - If Vasquez wasn't your choice for DSL Player of the Year last year, it was probably Lopez, who slashed .240/.382/.357. The Braves hoped for more from Lopez and started him in the DSL to give him a jumpstart, but wherever he was, he was in the midst of a disappointing season. Lopez is a bit undersized, but has a strong body and flashes good pop. He also crowds the plate, inviting a number of pitches to come in on him for a HBP. Still, he doesn't make solid consistent contact and is prone to strikeout binges. If you squint your eyes, you see a Top 50 prospect. I'm waiting for him to open my eyes, though.

Zach Becherer, RHP - A 15th rounder, Becherer was notable for his Wild Thing impression on the mound this year. In 16 games, he walked 17 in 18 innings. He only hit one batter - a small miracle - but uncorked 7 wild pitches. On the bright side, he struck out 24 of the 88 batters he faced. There is some talent here and if he can throw more strikes, the Braves might have something. Like a great movie once said, though - "We better teach this kid some control before he kills somebody."

Troy Bacon, RHP - A fourth rounder out of Santa Fe Community College, Bacon had a solid first summer as a professional with 22 strikeouts in 18.1 innings next to just seven walks. He finished off seven of the 13 games he appeared in and has all the makings of a nice reliever. At 20, though, his production doesn't have the same shine of younger performers who did comparable work as a teenager this year. Bacon might be a guy who will skip Danville to open next year in Rome as a 21-year-old.

Hayden Deal, LHP - Undrafted? No problem. Deal logged 26.2 innings out of the pen for the GCL Braves and showed impressive control with just seven unintentional walks. He also struck out 23. Like with Bacon, let's condition this by mentioning that he's already 22. In his favor was an August promotion to Rome to help out a beleaguered pitching staff. In his one outing with Rome, he went four shutout innings with four strikeouts. He returned to the GCL, but he is on the shortlist for a bump past Danville to Rome for the opening of the 2018 season.

Tanner Allison, LHP - Completing the trifecta with guys who were solid, but too old for the GCL, here is Allison with just two walks in 16.1 ING out of the pen. A 19th-rounder out of THE Western Michigan University, Allison didn't make his debut until mid-July, but once he got out there, he showed he belonged. In addition to the control, he K'd 15 and finished with a 2.20 ERA. He's also 22, but a few months younger than Deal. How the Braves use all of these fringy arms will be interesting to watch next spring.

Yefri Del Rosario, RHP - You want a true prospect arm? Here's Del Rosario, a hard-throwing 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic. The Braves continue to work with Del Rosario to clean up his mechanics and he caught too much of the strike zone at times this year, but he's a guy with high leverage relief potential or, with the development of a solid off-speed pitch, middle-of-the-rotation projection. He did strike out 29 in 32.1 innings and showed decent control with just ten walks. He'll be one of the arms to watch out for in Danville.

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Juan Contreras, RHP - Like Del Rosario, Contreras was signed in last year's J2 class out of the Dominican Republic. He received the biggest non-hitter signing bonus by the Braves at $1.2M due to his mid-90's heat and a wipeout slider. Now, can he control it? Hopefully, this year will serve as a "huh, that's odd" stat line in his career because he nearly doubled his strikeouts with walks (21 BB to 12 K) over 19.2 innings. Those numbers include an one inning, one K performance in the DSL before joining the Gulf Coast League. He might get a repeat assignment in the GCL depending on how he looks next spring (plus the roster situation in Danville), but don't sleep on Conteras. He could turn into a Top 5 arm in the system within a couple of years.

Freddy Tarnok, RHP - The 80th overall selection in June's draft wasn't given a lot of opportunities to flash his potential as the Braves heavily monitored his pitch count. He never retired more than six batters in any given start so it's hard to really get a read on him. That said, he only walked three in 14 innings, which is a good mark for a high school arm. He also K'd 10 and ended the season with a 2.57 ERA, all decent signs. Next year, we'll learn more about Tarnok, who likely will follow the Kyle Muller-path rather than a Joey Wentz one.

Guillermo Zuniga, RHP - Probably the third-best arm the Braves signed in July of 2016, Zuniga got into the action a lot quicker than his other J2 pitching classmates, appearing in five games in the DSL last year. He struggled notably this season in the GCL and as the season progressed, his control only got worse. He finished the year on a sour note, allowing five runs in 2.2 ING while walking two and hitting two others. It was his second outing of the year that he failed to strikeout a batter and things just never seemed to get going for Zuniga. The Columbian import might repeat the GCL in 2018, but I imagine he'll get pushed up to Danville where he'll look to bounce back.

Quick Stats
31-28, 6th-most in RS, 6th-fewest runs given up

Leaders
RS - Severino, 27
H - Severino, 54
2B - Severino, 17
3B - Encarnacion, 4
HR - Ramos, 6
RBI - Ramos, 30
SB - Vasquez, 12
AVG - Encarnacion, .350
OBP - Zack Soria, .389
SLG - Encarnacion, .563
ISO - Ramos, .231
wOBA - Encarnacion, .433
wRC+ - Encarnacion, 162

(min. 30 ING for rate stats)
W - Troy Conyers & Deyvis Julian, 3
G - Ramon Taveras, 17
GS - Albinson Volquez, 9
SV - Allison, Bacon, Deal, 2
IP - Julian, 40.1
BB - Contreras & Julian, 21
BB% - Taveras, 4% (lowest)
K - Jerez, 35
K% - Jerez, 22.6%
ERA - Jerez, 1.38
FIP - Taveras, 2.22

Transaction Tuesday: Weigel, Ruiz, Cumberland, Severino

For the first time this season, the Braves have all seven minor league squads up-and-running. No longer will players get "demoted" to Danville just to get them off the active roster for a few days. I don't include all the moves to set the Danville and GCL rosters, but did include a few that correlated with promotions/demotions. Further, we have a release and a retirement in this week's recap. Let's dive in.

*Prospect Rankings come from the WOW Preseason Top 50.

Atlanta

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Promoted from Gwinnett: Jace Peterson...Hopefully, the minor league assignment did him well. Peterson was on fire over 17 games with Gwinnett with a .338/.450/.477 slash. He also played all over, logging time at three infield positions and all three outfield spots. As I mentioned last week, the Braves nearly avoided burning Peterson's final option this year but were a day late in bringing him back.

In addition, the Braves officially signed a number of their draft choices along with three undrafted free agents (RHP Hayden Deal and Walter Borkovich, IF Carlos Baerga Jr.). For more on them, check out Outfield Fly Rule.

Gwinnett
Demoted from Atlanta: Rio Ruiz (#20)...He got 31 games to prove himself, but Ruiz fell on his face after a promising start after arriving in the majors to replace an injured Adonis Garcia. He struck out too much and simply wasn't able to get on base enough. With the emergence of Johan Camargo, Ruiz was riding the bench, which isn't a good fit for a position-limited player on a short four-man bench. Ruiz has taken the demotion in stride, banging out six hits in 16 AB with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.

Activated: Emerson Landoni...After four trips to the DL this year, Landoni has logged just eleven games. He's depth and his trips to the DL are likely not injury-related.

Retired: Braeden Schlehuber...He's been around forever, but his career finally came to a close last week. Originally drafted back in 2008 out of Southern Nevada, Schlehuber struggled with the bat in every season outside of 2012. That year, he hit .270/.328/.439 with Lynchburg and appeared in his only All-Star Game. Since 2015, he's spent most of his time with on the Gwinnett roster or on the Gwinnett DL. This year alone, he was on the DL three times and played just six games. But the DL is used often for "phantom injuries" at the minor league level - especially for catchers who provide depth. I imagine Schlehuber will stick with the organization in a different role, but maybe he just wants to get away from the game for a little while. Added note...Schlehuber was the first Random Prospect I profiled. Reading that post, it's clear this blog has come a long way.

DL'd: Patrick Weigel (#17)...Well, this is unfortunate. Last week, he showed up on the DL with the scariest sentence relating to a pitcher in baseball as he was scheduled for a meeting with Dr. James Andrews. Nothing has been released in regards to that so we are just waiting and preparing. Weigel got off to a dominant start with Mississippi and after a bad second start with Gwinnett (eight runs in one inning), he had settled had settled into a very solid five starts before his June 18th game where he gave up nine runs. There was talk of decreased velocity in that go-around.

Mississippi
Promoted from Florida: Devan Watts...Another find for the scouting department. He was picked in the 17th round out of Tusculum College last year. You know Tusculum, right? The school that produced Dale Alexander, who finished 11th in the MVP balloting back in 1932? Watts gave up two runs in 23.2 innings last year between Danville and Rome. This season, he's allowed a few more. Six, to be exact. Still, his ERA is just 1.95 and he's striking out over a batter an inning with great control. He made his Double-A debut last week with a one-walk, one-strikeout frame. He's one to watch.

Activated: Joseph Odom...Last week marked the first time Odom has been activated this season. He was coming off a mixed bag last year where he hit well during his third year in the Carolina League but struggled after a midseason promotion to Mississippi. He's a solid defensive option behind the plate, but the bat is unlikely to be better than below-average.

DL'd: Joey Meneses...In a way, Meneses reminds me of Adam LaRoche. Not in the sense that'll develop into a pretty good option at first base, but that he often needs repeat assignments to get his bat going at a level. He debuted with Rome in 2013 but struggled. Returning to Rome, he bashed the SALLY League during an injury-shortened 2014. He headed to Carolina next and again struggled. He returned in 2016 and blitzed the league to earn a spot with Mississippi, where he struggled over the season's final two-and-a-half months. Wouldn't ya know it that he's doing well this year? At his current rate, he should be figuring out Triple-A pitching in 2019.

Florida
Promoted from Rome: Oriel Caicedo...This is Year 7 of Caicedo's career (though he lost one year due to injury). Last week, he made his debut at High-A. He has tremendous control and generally posts good numbers, but is just a guy.

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Promoted from Rome: Brett Cumberland (#25)...After a slow start, Cumberland exploded in Rome for a .263/.432/.531 slash. He bashed 10 homers to go along with 15 doubles over 55 games and was hit by a pitch 25 times. Typically, Atlanta lets its minor leaguers spend a year in low-A, but as a college draftee, Cumberland earned a promotion up the chain. Pairing him with Alex Jackson gives Florida two big-hitting prospects who both need to get better behind the plate. In his first three games with Florida, Cumberland has a single, a double, and yes, he's been hit-by-a-pitch.

Promoted from Rome: Adam McCreery...Acquired last season as a project for Jhoulys Chacin, the former Angels' 22nd rounder has shown much-improved control with the Braves. Another tall pitcher in a system of gigantic pitchers, the lefty cut his walk rate nearly in half in terms of BB/9 last season and this season, he's brought back his strikeout rate which slumped last year. McCreery was one of the oldest pitchers at Rome so a new challenge will be good for the southpaw. He gave up a run in two innings during his Florida debut.

Demoted from Mississippi: Chad Sobotka (#40)...The Random Prospect generator picked the wrong week to spit out Sobotka. Just days before I published my profile on him, Sobotka got the heave-ho to Florida. He had struggled badly with Mississippi with just about all his metrics heading in the wrong direction. The Braves are hoping a demotion will clear his head and jumpstart his season. He looked pretty good in his first outing with Florida, striking out two over one scoreless inning.

DL'd: Chase Johnson-Mullins...The tall lefty out of Shelton State Community College (go Bucs!), CJM has been impressive this year as his walk rate is down and his strikeout rate has climbed a bit. On the other hand, he's basically repeating Class A+. Hopefully, the injury is minor and the 6'8, 270-pound behemoth will get back on the mound soon.

DL'd: Wigberto Nevarez...The Braves use the DL for catchers like they use Danville's roster before the APPY season opens. These assignments rarely mean anything. I just want to say, though, if Florida put "Wigberto" on the back of the jersey, I think it would sell pretty well.

Rome
Assigned: Austin Bush...Picked in the 15th round of this year's draft, Bush is a big boy. He's listed at 6'6" and 265 pounds. Obviously, he's Rome's defensive end/first baseman/power forward. He bashed his first professional homerun in his second game and has gone 8-for-19 to begin his career. He's also struck out eight times. Basically, if he puts the ball in play, good things are happening so far.

Assigned: Jordan Rodgers...Another advanced college draftee from earlier this month, Rodgers was a quick sign. In five games with Rome, he's already played three positions. There's some pop here and the potential for a solid utility player.

Activated: Matt Custred...With a logjam of relievers ahead of him, Custred was one of the guys who returned to Rome despite some solid work with last year's squad. Custred spent two months on the DL after an appearance on April 25 before his recent activation. He's been dominant for Rome when he has stayed on the mound, though, striking out 16 over 12.2 innings and has been charged with just one earned run. He picked up 64 K's last year with Rome in 56.2 innings with a 3.18 ERA.

Demoted to Danville and Returned: Alan Rangel...The Braves can no longer use Danville's roster as an extended spring training so it looks like Rangel has impressed enough people to stick with Rome. Still just 19, Rangel's in his third season out of Mexico and has flashed big K numbers with good control in the past. He's struggled through a trio of starts with Rome to this point, but the Braves are buying in for now.

Demoted from Florida: Taylor Lewis...A ninth-round pick in 2015 out of the University of Florida, Lewis rolled last year as he climbed from Rome to Mississippi (with a 19-game dominant stretch with Carolina mixed in). However, the righty was returned to High-A to open this season nd has been a dumpster fire. He walked just 14 batters (2 were intentional) in 66 innings last year, but has given just as many free passes (all unintentional) in 23.1 ING with Florida this year. He also matched his career total in homeruns given up in half-a-season. The Braves are hopeful a return to Rome will get him going, though he gave up a run and uncorked three pitches in his first outing with the team.

Released: Yeudi Grullon (6/19)...I either missed this one for last year's transaction recap or it wasn't posted. Either way, Grullon was sent packing during his fifth year in the system. He never showed much of a stick and hit just one homerun during his 721 PA. He was in his second season as a utility guy for Rome when he was released. He was known more for his pitching the with Rome (three outings to close games) than his hitting.

Danville
(Lots of moves as the Braves set the roster with draft choices and callups from last year's GCL roster. Too many moves to list.)

Demoted from Rome: Jaret Hellinger...Hellinger's struggles in Rome kept the lefty from potentially avoiding a second year in Danville. He allowed 13 ER in 12.1 ING with more walks (9) than strikeouts (6). After iffy campaigns the last two years following his 20th-round selection back in 2015, Hellinger's not too much of a prospect at the moment.

Promoted from DSL: Kelvin Rodriguez...One of the few players who opens his career state-side before heading to the DSL, this is Rodriguez's third season of professional ball. After spending 2016 in the Dominican Republic, he opened this season down there as well before a promotion up the chain to Danville. To this point, he hasn't done much to attract much attention and looks more like a veteran innings guy.

GCL Braves
(Roster finalized this week. I'll include a list of players jumping from DSL to start this season to the GCL.)

Promoted from DSL: Alger Hodgson, Miguel Jerez, Deyvis Julian, Yoeli Lopez (#50), Juan Morales, Luidemid Rojas, Yefri Del Rosario, Yunior Severino (#44), Albinson Volquez...Obviously, Severino is the biggest name here. A switch-hitter with power to spare, Severino was ranked as the 8th best prospect of last year's signing class by Baseball America. He only hit .189 in 10 games in the DSL, but the Braves think he's ready for a more aggressive assignment. Del Roasario was also a J2 signing last year and got a bonus in the high six figures. He's a project pitcher with questionable mechanics but could be a star with big velocity and a nice breaking ball.

DL'd: Jackson Pokorney...Not sure what landed last year's 29th rounder on the DL, but it was a 60-day DL assignment so it looks to be a severe injury. Pokorney was not expected to sign after blitzing his high school competition with a better than .500 average during his senior season, but he put college aside for a chance to join the Braves and hit .259/.340/.318 as an 18 year-old in the GCL last year. A switch-hitter, Pokorney has a projectable frame. For more on Pokorney, here's a profile from USA Today.

DSL
None

Braves Top 50 Prospects, 2017 Preseason: #50-#41

The Atlanta Braves system is ridiculously stacked. Oh, sure, some have argued that most of its elite talent is at A-ball or lower. They aren't wrong, but that doesn't change how much talent the Braves have now. Considering how many prospects the team has added since the winter of 2014-15, the turnaround has been astounding. The front office, scouting department, and development team have outdone themselves.

Last week, I gave you five names I like, but who missed my Top 50 Prospects. Today, I start counting down the Top 50 with the bottom ten. Though I grade these guys at the tail end of my Top 50, I don't expect many of them to fall out of the list - if any. Rather, I expect quite a few to climb up the list by midseason and next offseason.

Added January 12, 2017. I originally set out to do a Top 50, but after this trade with the Mariners, I had to adjust my numbers. As such, I have altered the rankings to squeeze in the two new prospects. Next week, I will do a dozen prospects to get back on track with release ten prospects weekly until the Top 10.

52. Jon Kennedy, LHP, 21 years-old, Prospect Grade: C

While his name immediately brings up images of American political royalty, Kennedy is a native of Melbourne, Australia. Standing 6'5", Kennedy got his first break at the tender age of 16 while playing for the Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League. For three years, he rarely pitched at Australia's highest level, but the fact that he did at all was impressive because of his age. Before the 2015 season was to kick off in Australia, interest was beginning to rise in Kennedy. Baltimore considered him before the Braves came away impressed enough to sign him.

Kennedy would still pitch one more year for Melbourne, but with the Braves' support, he became a regular starter for the Aces. After the season wrapped up, he soon made the trip to the states and pitched well to make the Rome roster out of spring training. After a couple of ugly games, he was moved back down a peg to wait for the Danville season to begin. It wouldn't be the first time he went up to Rome before spending more time with Danville. His last game was a two-inning stint with Carolina where he struck out four.

On the season, Kennedy had a 2.93 ERA over 30.2 innings with just 4 walks and 29 strikeouts. While scouting reports are scarce for Kennedy, he works off a 90 mph fastball and a breaking pitch that gets a good deal of movement from his 3/4's delivery. While new to the American scene, Kennedy understands that his path to the majors might be pretty narrow and limited to a left-hand specialist role. If he continues to show he's capable of generating K's with good control, he could follow that path all the way to the bigs.



51. Isranel Wilson, OF, 19 years-old, Grade: C

Few minor leaguers sparked more interest from me than Wilson heading into 2016. One of the first big splashes made by the Holy John Trinity after Frank Wren's firing, Wilson was aggressively pushed to the Gulf Coast League to begin 2015. After a terrible start, he raked over the last month-plus to finish the season with a .349 OBP, .257 ISO, and 149 wRC+. Did I mention he never faced a pitcher he was older than and was in his first year in a new country?

There were a lot of reasons to be excited about Wilson heading into 2016. And then...the season actually happened. He slashed .192/.276/.315 over nearly 150 PA. After hitting ten homers in the GCL, he hit just two in 2016. His walk % fell 5% while his ISO came down 134 points. If all of this wasn't confusing enough, his BABIP was actually 17 points higher in 2016.

This leaves us with a really muddled snapshot of Wilson as a player. A left-hand hitter, Wilson's swing looks like it will lead to pulling the ball a good deal and when he does connect, he hits the ball pretty solidly. Right now, Wilson could return to prospect status or continue to fall off. The natural gifts are there, but can he display them on the field? I would be shocked if Wilson doesn't start the year in extended spring training and we might not see him play until the Appalachian League season opens in June. Until then, his Jekyll and Hyde act is all we have.



50. Yoeli Lopez, OF, 19 years-old, Grade: C

There wasn't a lot to cheer about last summer for the Dominican Summer League Braves. They finished ten games under .500 and twelve games back in the San Pedro Division. One of the few bright spots, however, was Yoeli Lopez. Born in the Dominican Republic, but schooled in Miami, 2016 was the first year of Lopez's career and the results were pretty impressive.

Lopez played in nearly every game while slashing .240/.382/.357 with 3 homers and 11 steals. Consider that the DSL Braves hit just 9 homers overall. Lopez possesses a big swing and showed impressive plate discipline last year (though he struck out way too much). He also was hit 19 times, which could be an indicator of him crowding the plate. Obviously, there's not a lot of information about Lopez to this point and DSL outfielders are notorious for flaming out once they come to the states. Nevertheless, keep an eye on Lopez. There might be something here.




49. Carlos Castro, 1B, 22 years-old, Grade: C 

For three years, Castro labored in the Dominican Summer League. First signed in 2011, between 2012-14, he played in 124 games in the DSL as the Braves tried see if he could stick at catcher. Ultimately, his defensive issues led them to decide that he wasn't, but thtat didn't hold him back. After a .308/.378/.450 run in 2014, he was brought state-side.

Already 21 and now with Danville, Castro played backup to converted 3B Juan Yepez at first base as Yepez was the higher-rated prospect. Most of Castro's at-bats came as the team's DH and while he did hit .319, he showed little pop and appeared quite willing to swing at any-and-everything. In 2016, Castro was waiting around in extended spring training when injuries and poor play finally opened up a spot in Rome. He collected a pair of hits on May 23, his first game of the year, and his season was off and running. June was especially good as he hammered nine homeruns, including a pair of two-homer games. Amazingly, he hit just .221 that month and rarely hit a single. Even more curious, as the months transpired, the higher his average climbed, the lower his power numbers went. On the season, he slashed .266/.301/.508 with 17 homers. The dinger total was second to Austin Riley in the system.

But he was a bit old to get much prospect love in the South Atlantic League. His teammate, Riley, was in his Age-19 season and Dustin Peterson, who was two levels above Castro, was also a year younger. That's why Castro's power numbers, while impressive, won't push him high on my list. Nevertheless, considering he had hit just six homers in four years before 2016, it was a breakout season worth more attention. Castro has his faults - he hasn't seen a pitch he didn't think was worth swinging at, for one. Unless he hits .300 or better, his on-base percentage will be a concern. Plus, right-handed first baseman rarely make for defensive wonders. Still, over the last three years, he's averaged around a 125 wRC+. I'm sure Atlanta hopes he swings a big stick early in Florida, which will allow them to aggressively push him up to Double-A.




48. Dilmer Mejia, LHP, 19 years-old, Grade: C 

It seems like forever ago that Mejia burst on the scene with a strong 2014. Starting the year in the Dominican Summer League, the almost 17-year-old blitzed the DSL with 52 K's in 59 innings and just 11 walks. The native of Nicaragua made the rare in-season transition to the states and finished with 15 innings in the GCL. He faced just 16 hitters the entire year who were younger than him.

The expectations were sky-high for Mejia heading into 2015, but it would be a season to forget for the young lefty. After just 21.2 innings where the results were much more miserable, Mejia hit the DL  - a place he would remain for the rest of the year. He would return last season for 35.2 innings - still in the Gulf Coast League - and rebounded with a 2.96 FIP.

On the smallish side at just 5'11", Mejia has three pitches including a low-to-mid 90's fastball. He works off control (career 2.0 BB/9) and isn't likely to strikeout a ton of batters. He's kept the ball in the ballpark to this point, though that will be tested as he climbs the minor league ladder. I imagine the Braves would love to work him into the picture at Rome this season either before the Appalachian League season begins or after. He turns 20 in July so the time to get moving is now.

Below is the only video I could find of Mejia. It's in Spanish and you will have to skip to about 1:25 to see a brief clip of him.



47. Anfernee Seymour, SS, 21 years-old, Grade: C 

The 2016 Baseball Prospectus book had this to say about Seymour. "A local high school product, Anfernee Seymour was popped in the seventh round in 2014 because he's fast. He swiped the second-most bags in the New York-Penn League also because he's fast. He's fast." And that basically sums up Seymour to this point. In 215 career games, Seymour has swiped 83 bases and has been caught 21 times. But the bat...well, we're still waiting.

Acquired last season in the Hunter Cervenka trade, Seymour hit .257/.296/.303 at a pair of South Atlantic League stops last year. His walk rate was under 5% and his strikeout rate was on the wrong side of 20%. Seymour is a player who I don't see nearly as fondly as MLB Pipeline, which currently ranks him 19th (better than Patrick Weigel, A.J. Minter, and Braxton Davidson).

There is some skill here. A switch-hitter, Seymour is a good bunter, but doesn't use his speed well enough when he's swinging. With his lean frame, he ought to cut down on his swing and serve the ball where it's thrown. Instead, he too often tries the old Kevin Millwood method to hitting - Swing-Hard-In-Case-You-Hit-It. Millwood was a pitcher, though.

Seymour is also not a very gifted fielder. He has the speed to make up, to some degree, for iffy instincts and bad decisions in the field, but that still means that he's putting himself at a disadvantage. I could see the Braves moving him to second base, where his arm plays better. Atlanta could also try him again in the outfield, which he played some of in 2014. Either way, I don't foresee Seymour living up to the Top 20 MLB Pipeline billing.



46. Bryse Wilson, RHP, 19 years-old, grade: C

The 109th overall pick of the 2016 draft, the Braves had to convince Wilson to not attend UNC and instead, sign with Atlanta. By doing so, they put the cherry on the top of what was the 2016 draft. For a sign of how dominant Wilson was at Orange High School (Hillsborough, NC), you need only know this - he tossed multiple no-hitters his senior year. Multiple. As in, more than one.

Wilson spent the summer in the Gulf Coast League and in 26.2 innings, he K'd 29 and allowed just two earned runs. In six of his nine starts, he had at least a 2-to-1 GB to FB rate. Even though he didn't allow many baserunners, he induced four double plays in less than 30 innings of work. It remains to be seen if that groundball tendency will continue, though.

Standing 6'1" and weighing a stout 225 pounds, Wilson relies on a heater capable of reaching the mid-90's. To supplement his fastball, he throws a slider that has plus potential. The issue with Wilson and why I may rank him a bit lower than others is whether or not he profiles as a starter as he rises through the system. He needs an offspeed delivery and has to refine his slider to keep that option available. Nevertheless, for a 19-year-old, he's pretty dang impressive and should climb this and other prospect lists by next year.



45. Kade Scivicque, Catcher, 24 years-old, Grade: C

Originally a fourth-round pick out of LSU, Scivicque is, by default, the top catching prospect in terms of level + potential. I say default because the only real catching prospects are still A-ball and under. Still, Scivicque has some skills that might get him to the majors.

Before being acquired in August for Erick Aybar, Scivicque made quick work of the New York-Penn League and Midwest League. At the time of the deal, he was hitting .282/.324/.379 in the Florida State League. A right-handed hitter and thrower, Scivicque would split time between Carolina and Mississippi to end the regular season. He would also get an assignment in the Arizona Fall League where he posted an out-of-character 151 wRC+ over ten games.

Scivicque isn't particularly gifted behind the plate, though he is recognized as a solid game caller with good leadership skills. I've heard that he's a solid pitch framer as well. At the plate, he's fairly aggressive and his level swing mutes much in terms of power. A lot will have to go right to get Scivicque to the majors and he probably will max out as a backup. Nevertheless, that's still pretty good return for a month-and-a-half of Aybar.



44. Yunior Severino, SS, 17 years-old, Grade: C

It's easy to forget about the prospects signed last July who aren't named Kevin Maitan, but Severino was a big "get" in his own right. Ranked #8th among international prospects entering the signing period by Baseball America, Severino received a million to join the Braves. He won't make his debut until this season at the earliest, though he could skip the Dominican Summer League and immediately start his career in the GCL. A switch-hitter, Severino might still outgrow shortstop (the jury's still out), though he could stay in the middle infield and play second base. If so, he could be a big threat at second base as a potential 20-HR player.

Obviously, there isn't much information to go with here until we see Severino in game action, which won't happen until next June. With that said, last year's bounty of players has a chance to remake the franchise and Severino can play a starring role in doing so.



43. Abrahan Guiterrez, Catcher, 17 years-old, Grade: C

As far as pure potential goes, the Braves don't have a better catching prospect than Guitierrez. Signed for just $750K less than Kevin Maitan last July ($3.5M total), Guiterrez was ranked #15th in Baseball America's Top 50. Born on Halloween in 1999 in Venezuela, Guiterrez is a right-handed thrower and hitter.

Much like with Severino, right now, we are living on hype as we try to put together a scouting report. Guiterrez has a quick release behind the plate, though his footwork isn't very efficient yet. He's a little taller than you might like for a catcher (6'2"), but shows impressive athleticism behind the plate with mature (for his age) receiving skills. At the plate, he has a quick bat and the ability to serve line drives all over the field.

The Braves haven't had a catcher who was signed on the international market who later became a big contributor at the major league level since Javy Lopez. Could Guiterrez change that? Time will tell.



The Walk-Off Walk Top 50 Prospects (to recap)
52. Jon Kennedy
51. Isranel Wilson
50. Yoeli Lopez
49. Carlos Castro
48. Dilmer Mejia
47. Anfernee Seymour
46. Bryse Wilson
45. Kade Scivicque
44. Yunior Severino
43. Abrahan Guiterrez

Check back next week for the next ten prospects as I continue to countdown to #1.