Down On The Farm
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Although the Braves may be off to a slow start to the 2025 season, we’ve said a couple of times/ways that “it’s not time to hit the panic button for Braves fans.”
Although the main reason for that is that it’s only April, another piece is what’s coming for the Braves along the horizon.
When most fans think of the “future” of a club, they think about the minor league system, and we’ll get there, but to start a trio of familiar names closer to making a major impact on the big club in the ATL.
Spencer Strider is the closest. After two dominant outings in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett, rumblings say that Strider could be activated in Atlanta as soon as next week.
Ronald Acuna Jr. seems to be trending in the right direction as well. The former NL MVP is hoping to get cleared to start cutting and start/stopping while running which is one of the final hurdles before beginning his minor league rehab trip.
While those two are the front of mind for Braves fans, one that could be a dark horse is Craig Kimbrel. The Braves signed Kimbrel back to his original team late in the process of Spring Training, so Kimbrel has had to work his way back into season shape and is close to facing live hitters.
Once that happens, it would make sense that he has a little more extended time at a couple different minor league levels, but some say that (assuming all goes well and he’s effective) Kimbrel could be back on an Atlanta mound in May.
As far as the farm goes for the Braves, four of the top 5 Braves prospects are expected to see time in the big leagues this season.
The Braves top prospect actually broke camp with the team in Drake Baldwin. Now that Sean Murphy has returned from injury, Baldwin is now the backup. Although the first thought may be “why not send him back to Triple A to get consistent at-bats?”
I think keeping him in “The Show” is absolutely the best move. With him expected to be a huge piece of the Braves’ future, having him learn the big-league level and also being able to catch and get to know the pitching staff is unbelievably beneficial.
While the #2 overall prospect in the organization is still a couple of years away in theory with Cam Caminiti in Rookie Ball, Prospects #3-5 are expected to make an impact in the Bigs this year.
Hurston Waldrep is starting the year in Gwinnett with the Stripers. The former Florida Gator is off to a 1-0 start of the year with Gwinnett with eight strikeouts in nine innings of work.
The 4th best prospect in the Atlanta System is starting the year on the injured list, but Nacho Alvarez Jr. had thirty at-bats last season with the big club.
The middle infielder has a huge up-side with the glove and is a career .284 hitter in over 900 minor league at-bats.
Finally, the 5th best prospect, Drue Hackenberg is a former dominant force in the ACC with the Virginia Tech Hokies which led him to be a 2nd round pick by the Braves in 2023.
Hackenberg starts the 2025 season with the newly formed Columbus Clingstones (Double A affiliate). In two years in the Braves organization, Hackenberg boasts a 3.14 ERA in 30 career starts.
All of this to say, yes, the first two weeks of the season haven’t been what Atlanta was looking for, but while it evens out, also know reinforcements are on the way to the ATL.
