Future #8: The Atlanta Braves

Why they're ranked 8th
This was a tough one for me. I was crossed between the Marlins and the Braves. The Marlins have a deep offense with  a great young core of starters; the Braves have a good core in their lineup and they have the deepest farm pitching in the game. However, it eventually came down to payroll. The Braves have tons of room and no long-term liabilities, where the Marlins are constantly keeping theirs low. The Braves snuck into the rankings, but because of their weak defense and horrible outfield (besides Heyward) they need to make some real upgrades before they move further down the list.

TEAM: Atlanta Braves

LEAGUE: National League
DIVISION: East

Top Pitching Prospect: Julio Teheran

Top Hitting Prospect: Freddie Freeman

Marquee Player: Jason Heyward

The Jay-Hey kid rounding the bases in his first AB in the Majors

Future Lineup

Lineup Number. Name: Position, Bats- Best Tools

1. Martin Prado: 3^rd Base, RH- Contact

2. Freddie Freeman: 1^st Base, LH- Contact/Patience/Power/Defense

3. Dan Uggla: 2^nd Base, RH- Power

4. Jason Heyward: Rightfield, LH- 5-tools

5. Brian McCann: Catcher, LH- Power/Patience/Defense

6. Matt Lipka: Shortstop, RH- Speed/Contact/Defense

7. Jordan Schafer: Leftfield, LH- Speed/Power

8. Cory Harrilchack: Centerfield, LH- Speed/Defense

Future Rotation

Name, Throws

1. Tommy Hanson, RHP

2. Julio Teheran, RHP

3. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP       

4. Mike Minor, LHP

5. Jair Jurrjens, RHP

Closer: Craig Kimbrel

Overall Evaluation

Areas of Improvement:

The pitching is ridiculous, but since the days of Chipper and Andruw the Braves have had a rough time putting an offense together. The top of the order is really good, but they’re weak in left and center. The Braves suffered last year on defense, placing 27^th amongst all teams in UZR. It was clearly their Achilles heal in the NLDS. Things won’t get much better with Uggla at second, but Freeman is an upgrade at first.

Outfield:

Despite Jason Heyward there is no one good here. Luckily, Heyward is as good as he is. Heyward is a 5-tool player who displayed the patience of a veteran (.393 OBP) as a 21-year-old rookie. He battled injuries and a few slumps throughout his first season, but the abilities he displayed only exemplified his hype (netting him the ROY award). Jordan Schafer was once a top prospect, but his bat has struggled to transition to the Major League level; the Braves will be hoping he’s a late bloomer.

Infield:

Very well balanced. Freddie Freeman profiles as a contact hitter with above average power potential. Martin Prado has been getting better and better and could be a 15-15 player with a high average. He’s also incredibly versatile. Dan Uggla finally brings the right-handed power Atlanta’s been missing, and Brian McCann remains one of the best catchers in baseball (with the glove and the bat).

Rotation:

Atlanta is ridiculously deep in starting pitching. Jair Jurrjens has ace stuff, and he could be their fifth starter with all the talent they have. Tommy Hanson has electric stuff and is developing into a dominant number one. Julio Teheran has big upside and has received several Pedro Martinez comparisons.

Intangibles:

Frank Wren is the best GM in the NL East and has a great eye for talent. He has created a great farm system deep in pitching. The Mark Teixeirra trade hurt the Braves, but Wren still managed to produce top hitters and a staff full of aces. Losing Bobby Cox is going to hurt on the field, but Fredi Gonzalez is an underrated manager who already knows the NL East inside and out.

Despite a weak outfield, the offense is still built around a great young core. Jason Heyward has a spectacular future ahead of him, and Freddie Freeman could be competing for batting titles. A strong supportive cast of Prado, Uggla, and McCann also surrounds these two.

On top of the great rotation, the Braves have one of the best bullpens in baseball. They were absolutely dominant last year, and the best part is their youth. Craig Kimbrel is the next big thing in closers. Johnny Venters and Peter Moylan are powerful setup men who can cover the 7^th/8^th innings for a long time. The Braves already used their pitching depth to acquire Dan Uggla this offseason, and there’s no reason they can’t do the same to further improve their hurting outfield.