<img alt="Syndication: The Clarion-Ledger" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/U4DgDRf6f8Xmu5vE7oWCM_wj0d0=/0x0:2000x1333/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73474336/usa_today_23711662.0.jpg">
Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Braves farm system has improved over the past few years, with the honorable mentions now representing a legitimate collection of guys with MLB potential. The Atlanta Braves did a fantastic job of restocking the farm system in the 2023 MLB Draft, and they have already agreed to terms with all of the top prospects in from that draft. With that, the minor league crew shifts our focus to the next installment of the Top 30 Braves prospects, kicking it off as is typical with the Honorable Mentions. This is not strictly the 31-36 spots in the list, though all of these players received votes and were heavily considered for the list. This list was voted on and compiled by the four members of the Battery Power staff — myself, Matt Powers, Brady Petree, and Gaurav Vedak — and all of us contributed to the write ups as well. My final note is that with Spencer Schwellenbach officially graduating from prospect status he is not going to be on this list, though it seems like the strong consensus was he would have ranked number two. So, without further ado, I present to you the honorable mentions.
Ian Mejia - RHP
While I stated this was not a strict 31-36 in the system, Ian Mejia was one of the last players to not make the list and was barely pushed off by the new draftees. Mejia had a solid 2023 season but has had a full breakout in 2024, leading the Mississippi Braves with a 2.40 ERA and throwing an individual no-hitter earlier in the season. The 2022 11th round pick has shown throughout his career that he has a propensity for locating his fastball, but has flown under the radar due to his draft status and mediocre pure stuff. Mejia’s fastball sits in the low-90’s averaging between 91-92 with just average life, though it plays up due to his ability to command the pitch at an above average to plus clip. Mejia’s best secondary is his vertical slider, an upper-70’s to low-80’s pitch that has been his bat-missing offering and grades out as a potentially above average pitch. Mejia’s current project is developing a splitter, which right now is in its rudimentary phases and will be one of the factors in determining whether he fits as a back end starter or a middle relief arm.
Mario Baez - SS
Baez came in at No. 25 on our preseason list, but with the emergence of a handful of guys fas well as his own struggles this season, he was pushed off of the list. Baez is still a talented player and only 17-years old, but his numbers have dipped as he has only a .524 OPS in the FCL this season. Baez’s lack of size creates concern as to whether he will ever have enough power to profile as a regular, and he only has a .042 isolated power this season. Still, it’s what Baez does well that makes him interesting and the Braves have managed to unlock outsized power from other sub-6 footers. Baez makes contact at a very high rate, and even with his strikeout rates jumping this season they are still below 20%. He also has the speed and the glove to stick at shortstop, and despite his small stature, the reports on his arm strength are positive. Baez has only made one error in 17 games at shortstop this season, splitting time between there and second base.
Nick Montgomery - C
One of the draft additions to this list, Montgomery is going to be immediately one of the system’s most intriguing young talents. We want to get a better look at him in pro ball before making the call to slot him in over some players with established profiles, but the hopes are high surrounding Montgomery among the Battery Power staff. Montgomery has huge power potential and a swing that is geared to get to it, and while there are some concerns about the length of his swing the Braves have done a solid job of identifying and developing catchers over the past few years. Montgomery may not stick behind the plate, though he has the arm to do it, and while that would negatively impact his prospect status he is athletic enough and has the arm to potentially fit as a corner outfielder.
Junior Garcia - OF
Junior Garcia is a player who could see his stock rise enormously over the next year. The outfielder, who just turned 19 a little over a week ago, has already hit his way to full season ball in just his second professional season and had an eye-opening 143 wRC+ in the complex league. Garcia stands out for his plate discipline, showing an ability to spit on pitches off the plate that is well ahead of most players his age. He also has hit for decent power, at least by complex league standards, and has plenty of room to grow into more power with enough speed to stay in the outfield even as he adds mass. Garcia’s contact is a bit more suspect as there is some length to his swing and he struck out 24% of the time in Florida this year. Still, the raw offensive tools are impressive as is his approach at the plate, and if he can continue to hit like he has at the lower levels they will find places for him to play at the upper levels.
Luis Vargas - RHP
Luis Vargas has been a low-level prospect known for having a decent slider and not a whole lot else since he first debuted in the DSL in 2019, but everything has clicked for him this season especially his fastball velocity. For most of his career, Vargas’ fastball sat in the low-90’s, but found himself throwing harder in the bullpen then translated that back into the rotation. With a sharp slider mixed in with an upper-90’s fastball, Vargas is now dominating the lower levels, with a sharp increase from a 22.2% strikeout rate last year to 27.6% this year. He has also started throwing more strikes in Rome, though it’s more a case of control over command. Vargas doesn’t really flash a third pitch and is likely destined for a bullpen role long term, but is one of the wildest breakout stories I’ve seen for it to come so suddenly after so many years. His fastball/slider combination will project to a major league bullpen role as long as he continues to throw strikes.
Robert Gonzalez - OF
Gonzalez is one of the toolsiest players in the system, as a 19-year old with 80 grade speed who consistently posts exit velocities over 110 mph. Gonzalez’s pure talent also comes with some projectability for more strength, and he has shown off as of late with a .182 isolated power and a .912 OPS over the past month. Still, Gonzalez has major concerns about his approach as he struggles to recognize and lay off of breaking balls and changeups. He has made notable improvements this season though, increasing his walk rate four-fold in the last half of his time in Augusta. He is a sponge for coaching, but the increased walk rate came with an increase in strikeouts and he has yet to put it together into a significant stretch of great play. It helps that he should stick in center field, but for right now the gap between his development and his tools is just a bit too large for us to feel confident pushing him into the Top 30.
<img alt="Syndication: The Clarion-Ledger" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/U4DgDRf6f8Xmu5vE7oWCM_wj0d0=/0x0:2000x1333/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73474336/usa_today_23711662.0.jpg">
Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Braves farm system has improved over the past few years, with the honorable mentions now representing a legitimate collection of guys with MLB potential. The Atlanta Braves did a fantastic job of restocking the farm system in the 2023 MLB Draft, and they have already agreed to terms with all of the top prospects in from that draft. With that, the minor league crew shifts our focus to the next installment of the Top 30 Braves prospects, kicking it off as is typical with the Honorable Mentions. This is not strictly the 31-36 spots in the list, though all of these players received votes and were heavily considered for the list. This list was voted on and compiled by the four members of the Battery Power staff — myself, Matt Powers, Brady Petree, and Gaurav Vedak — and all of us contributed to the write ups as well. My final note is that with Spencer Schwellenbach officially graduating from prospect status he is not going to be on this list, though it seems like the strong consensus was he would have ranked number two. So, without further ado, I present to you the honorable mentions.
Ian Mejia - RHP
While I stated this was not a strict 31-36 in the system, Ian Mejia was one of the last players to not make the list and was barely pushed off by the new draftees. Mejia had a solid 2023 season but has had a full breakout in 2024, leading the Mississippi Braves with a 2.40 ERA and throwing an individual no-hitter earlier in the season. The 2022 11th round pick has shown throughout his career that he has a propensity for locating his fastball, but has flown under the radar due to his draft status and mediocre pure stuff. Mejia’s fastball sits in the low-90’s averaging between 91-92 with just average life, though it plays up due to his ability to command the pitch at an above average to plus clip. Mejia’s best secondary is his vertical slider, an upper-70’s to low-80’s pitch that has been his bat-missing offering and grades out as a potentially above average pitch. Mejia’s current project is developing a splitter, which right now is in its rudimentary phases and will be one of the factors in determining whether he fits as a back end starter or a middle relief arm.
Mario Baez - SS
Baez came in at No. 25 on our preseason list, but with the emergence of a handful of guys fas well as his own struggles this season, he was pushed off of the list. Baez is still a talented player and only 17-years old, but his numbers have dipped as he has only a .524 OPS in the FCL this season. Baez’s lack of size creates concern as to whether he will ever have enough power to profile as a regular, and he only has a .042 isolated power this season. Still, it’s what Baez does well that makes him interesting and the Braves have managed to unlock outsized power from other sub-6 footers. Baez makes contact at a very high rate, and even with his strikeout rates jumping this season they are still below 20%. He also has the speed and the glove to stick at shortstop, and despite his small stature, the reports on his arm strength are positive. Baez has only made one error in 17 games at shortstop this season, splitting time between there and second base.
Nick Montgomery - C
One of the draft additions to this list, Montgomery is going to be immediately one of the system’s most intriguing young talents. We want to get a better look at him in pro ball before making the call to slot him in over some players with established profiles, but the hopes are high surrounding Montgomery among the Battery Power staff. Montgomery has huge power potential and a swing that is geared to get to it, and while there are some concerns about the length of his swing the Braves have done a solid job of identifying and developing catchers over the past few years. Montgomery may not stick behind the plate, though he has the arm to do it, and while that would negatively impact his prospect status he is athletic enough and has the arm to potentially fit as a corner outfielder.
Junior Garcia - OF
Junior Garcia is a player who could see his stock rise enormously over the next year. The outfielder, who just turned 19 a little over a week ago, has already hit his way to full season ball in just his second professional season and had an eye-opening 143 wRC+ in the complex league. Garcia stands out for his plate discipline, showing an ability to spit on pitches off the plate that is well ahead of most players his age. He also has hit for decent power, at least by complex league standards, and has plenty of room to grow into more power with enough speed to stay in the outfield even as he adds mass. Garcia’s contact is a bit more suspect as there is some length to his swing and he struck out 24% of the time in Florida this year. Still, the raw offensive tools are impressive as is his approach at the plate, and if he can continue to hit like he has at the lower levels they will find places for him to play at the upper levels.
Luis Vargas - RHP
Luis Vargas has been a low-level prospect known for having a decent slider and not a whole lot else since he first debuted in the DSL in 2019, but everything has clicked for him this season especially his fastball velocity. For most of his career, Vargas’ fastball sat in the low-90’s, but found himself throwing harder in the bullpen then translated that back into the rotation. With a sharp slider mixed in with an upper-90’s fastball, Vargas is now dominating the lower levels, with a sharp increase from a 22.2% strikeout rate last year to 27.6% this year. He has also started throwing more strikes in Rome, though it’s more a case of control over command. Vargas doesn’t really flash a third pitch and is likely destined for a bullpen role long term, but is one of the wildest breakout stories I’ve seen for it to come so suddenly after so many years. His fastball/slider combination will project to a major league bullpen role as long as he continues to throw strikes.
Robert Gonzalez - OF
Gonzalez is one of the toolsiest players in the system, as a 19-year old with 80 grade speed who consistently posts exit velocities over 110 mph. Gonzalez’s pure talent also comes with some projectability for more strength, and he has shown off as of late with a .182 isolated power and a .912 OPS over the past month. Still, Gonzalez has major concerns about his approach as he struggles to recognize and lay off of breaking balls and changeups. He has made notable improvements this season though, increasing his walk rate four-fold in the last half of his time in Augusta. He is a sponge for coaching, but the increased walk rate came with an increase in strikeouts and he has yet to put it together into a significant stretch of great play. It helps that he should stick in center field, but for right now the gap between his development and his tools is just a bit too large for us to feel confident pushing him into the Top 30.
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