Braves 2023 Minor League Preview: Mississippi Braves

As Opening Day attracts close to, we proceed our level-by-level 2023 season preview immediately with Atlanta’s Double-A affiliate, the Mississippi Braves. Mississippi has seen its justifiable share of future stars cross by means of the group in recent times, however what can followers count on to see as they head out to Trustmark Park this season? Let’s take a deep look.

Teaching Workers

Now teaching to your 2023 Mississippi Braves is… basically the 2022 Rome employees. In all seriousness, Mississippi will see a variety of acquainted faces within the group beforehand with Atlanta’s Single-A affiliate. After spending the earlier two seasons as Rome’s supervisor, Kanekoa Texeira acquired a promotion to Double-A to be Mississippi’s skipper.

Pitching coach Bo Denning and hitting coach Danny Santiesteban additionally made the leap from Rome to Mississippi to hitch Texeira on the teaching employees. Jefferson Romero additionally joins the employees in Pearl after a stint as a coach with the Braves affiliate within the FCL.

Schedule

Kicking off the 2023 marketing campaign, Mississippi will play host to Biloxi for a 3 sport set starting on April 7.

After wrapping up their first house stand, the Braves will journey to Chattanooga to play 5 video games towards the Lookouts.

As for among the extra noteworthy collection to control, the Braves can have an opportunity to tackle the defending Southern League champ in early Might. Touring to Pensacola on Might 2 to tackle the Blue Wahoos, Mississippi will play a 5 sport collection and also will host 5 video games towards the reigning champions later within the month.

Mississippi can even tackle the runner-up in final season’s championship collection within the Tennessee Smokies. Making the highway journey on July 18 for 5 video games, the Braves will wrap up their season at house with 5 extra video games towards the Smokies beginning on September 5.

They shut out the season touring to Pensacola on September 12 for 5 video games.

Projected High Prospects

Place Gamers

On the floor, it doesn’t at present seem as if Texeira and firm can have a full steady of high prospects to work with, particularly early on within the season. That’s not a knock on Mississippi, however quite the present state of the Braves’ farm system as a complete. Augusta and Rome each determine to showcase extra high prospects within the 2023 season, however Mississippi might reap the advantages later within the yr if gamers exceed expectations.

Place-wise, Cal Conley leads the best way when it comes to high prospects who determine to spend a big chunk of time in Mississippi. Regardless of solely enjoying 44 video games at Excessive-A in 2022 whereas posting a 108 WRC+, there’s an excellent likelihood Conley makes his approach to Double-A early within the season and will even debut in Mississippi to begin the season.

Jesse Franklin would have been the highest place participant kicking off the season with Mississippi — or probably Gwinnett If he had been capable of play a full season — have been it not for an elbow harm he sustained which required Tommy John surgical procedure after tallying simply 66 plate appearances. The potential is definitely there for Franklin to reestablish himself as one among Atlanta’s high place prospects if he’s capable of bounce again from harm.

Gamers like Drew Lugbauer and Luke Waddell are names Braves followers and prospect aficionados are aware of who will proceed to see time at Double-A in 2023.Lugbauer sw atted 28 homers in 128 video games for Mississippi final yr however his defensive limitations and lack of a pure hit software are holding him again from taking that subsequent step in his improvement. Waddell nonetheless has potential to offer some worth for the Braves on the massive league degree. Whereas each hit and energy instruments lack that exclamation level, there’s nonetheless sufficient offensive potential there for the Braves to love. Waddell additionally possesses an excellent quantity of defensive versatility to present him extra worth within the Braves future plans as a possible utility man. However work must be performed on the plate if he desires to push previous Double-A as a 24-year-old mild hitting shortstop, particularly after lacking vital time because of harm final yr.

Within the outfield, outdoors of Franklin’s return, it doesn’t seem as if any high prospects will begin their yr off in Mississippi. Fringe prospects like Andrew Mortiz and Cody Milligan determine to assist occupy the outfield early on within the yr whereas Justin Dean, who obtained a style of Triple-A final yr, might be a man who goes forwards and backwards between ranges as wanted.

That’s to not say some high guys within the decrease ranges can’t make the leap although. Brandol Mezquita is a kind of guys who is perhaps a longshot to make it to Mississippi, however he does determine to begin 2023 in Rome and has the instruments to make some noise and not less than be in consideration for a promotion down the road.

When it comes to different guys who might leap up a couple of ranges, the Braves have a few 2022 draftees that would hit their approach to Double-A by summer season’s finish. Drake Baldwin figured to have the very best shot of all 2022 draftees to make it to Mississippi because of the combo of his instruments and his place. As a catcher, there actually aren’t any gamers standing in his approach from making the leap. So so long as he continues to hit and make strides behind the dish, it stands the rationale the Braves will likely be pretty liberal of their motion with Baldwin.

David McCabe is one other 2022 man who might make get the nod up a degree ultimately. Splitting time between first base and the new nook, and very similar to Baldwin, there actually aren’t any gamers standing in McCabe’s approach in getting a promotion as long as he hits.

Lastly, KeShawn Ogans is one other draftee who would possibly see Mississippi. Whereas he doesn’t have that one software that stands out, he’s stable throughout the board and he possesses defensive versatility that will surely play to his profit. Baldwin, McCabe and Ogans all determine to begin out at Rome this season.

Pitchers

On the mound, there’s the chance for a couple of intriguing arms to make their approach to Double-A this season. Guys like Victor Vodnik, Dylan Dodd and Darius Vines earned promotions to Gwinnett within the second half of the 2022 season, presumably placing Mississippi of their rear view mirror.

In response to the unofficial/official roster, none of the present arms with Mississippi ranked on our High-25 or honorable mentions prospect record. Nolan Martinez, Tanner Gordon and Domingo Robles all possess intriguing instruments with some respectable upside. However given both their age or inconsistencies, they go away extra questions than solutions.

However very similar to on the positional aspect of issues, there are some intriguing arms with the potential of attending to Mississippi. 2022 draftee Blake Burkhalter would have most-likely been a slam dunk to be the very best arm on the employees have been it not been for the latest information of him needing Tommy John surgical procedure, sidelining him for the 2023 season.

With that being stated, Roddery Munoz stands out as one of many extra thrilling arms who might take the mound for Texeira this yr. Making 19 begins at Rome final yr, Munoz posted a 4.03 ERA whereas whiffing 105 batters throughout 89.1 innings. He’ll more than likely return to Rome to begin the yr, however count on the Braves to be aggressive with him as he possesses among the finest fastballs within the system.

Different under-the-radar guys followers ought to control embrace J.J. Niekro and Luis De Avila. Whereas Niekro doesn’t possesses flashy plus pitches, he finds methods to get batters out and in addition having the final identify he has doesn’t harm. As for De Avila, there’s an actual likelihood for him to cement himself on prospect lists this yr. Final season at Rome, the 21-year-old righty made 24 begins posting a 3.49 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 126.1 innings. He’ll return to Rome to kick issues off in 2023 massive there’s sufficient there for him to shortly stand up the ranks if he can construct off final yr.

One other arm that would fly beneath the radar as one to debut in Pearl this yr might be the tantalizing righty Spencer Schwellenbach. I do know this may occasionally seem to be a big stretch to some, and the Braves have been tremendous affected person with him as he’s labored his approach again from Tommy John surgical procedure. Granted, he’s but to throw a single pitch as an expert after blowing out his elbow at Nebraska and recovering from it, however given his age and instruments, it’s not out of the realm of risk for Schwellenbach to make his approach to Pearl as soon as he builds up some stamina and will get an excellent quantity of innings beneath his belt. Albeit if he does make it to Double-A, it’ll more than likely be within the late levels of the season.

Our primary prospect, AJ Smith-Shawyer, is a man who might probably see Mississippi within the latter a part of the season. However these likelihood is fringe at greatest given his stamina points and having but to pitch an inning above Low-A to this point in his professional profession.