Number one is exactly who you though number one would be
We have come to the final installment of our 2025 top Atlanta Braves prospects, and the first thing I would like to do is thank everyone who followed along and who has contributed to the list. Without the staff here we couldn’t give you guys such in depth coverage of the Braves system, and without you guys reading we wouldn’t be able to build a staff like this. Genuinely we are appreciative of all of the support we always get, and the criticism as well, as it makes all of this possible. The top six prospects for the Braves isn’t going to be a surprising list. The top six is fairly uniform between all outlets, just with a differing opinion in exactly who goes in what position. All six have gotten at least some level of Top 100 recognition, though only Drake Baldwin has solidified himself as a consensus top 100 player.
In case you missed it here are the previous parts of the list
7-12 | 13-18 | 19-24 | 25-30 | Honorable Mentions
After the release of the list join us tonight for a live Q&A at 6:30 PM ET featuring the Battery Power minor league staff where we will answer any questions you have about the list and the system, and keep in tune next week where we will have some follow-up articles to post to give a bit more detail and context to some of the players we have ranked in the top 30.
6. Hurston Waldrep – RHP
How he got to the Braves: 2023 MLB Draft, 1st Round Pick
Of all the prospects on our list, Hurston Waldrep is perhaps the most difficult to figure out in terms of where he ends up long-term. Some scouts see him as a solid mid-rotation guy, while others aren’t as bullish and believe he’ll wind up in the backend of a bullpen. Regardless, Waldrep has plenty of potential and actually rocketed up the Braves minor league levels to make his MLB debut last season — even though it was rather rough.
Waldrep made his pro debut shortly after being drafted, making one start with Low-A Augusta before being bumped up to High-A Rome. There, Waldrep made three starts, tossing 12 innings to the tune of a 0.75 ERA. Those numbers were good enough to see him get promoted to Double-A Mississippi and eventually Gwinnett. All told for his 2023 campaign, Waldrep made eight starts while posting a 1.53 ERA — 3.04 FIP and an xFIP of 3.29. He also managed to strike out 12.58 batters per nine innings during his first taste of pro ball.
Waldrep started 2024 with the FCL Braves in order to ramp up and casually worked his way back up through the minors. While his numbers were solid once again with the Stripers — posting a 3.38 ERA and a 4.19 FIP in eight starts — Waldrep ultimately punched his ticket to the big leagues with an 11 strikeout, six inning performance against the Baltimore Orioles Triple-A affiliate. What looked to be the next great Alex Anthopolous rapid acceleration project, Waldrep floundered in his brief cup of coffee with Atlanta. In two starts, the righty allowed a staggering 13 runs in just seven innings of work while only striking out three batters compared to issuing eight walks. That performance was enough to get him sent back down to Triple-A in order to work on things, but Waldrep unfortunately injured his elbow shortly thereafter, ending his season prematurely.
Despite the rough start to his MLB career, the book isn’t closed on Waldrep by any stretch. He’ll still be just 23-years-old when the 2025 season starts and he still possesses a high-octane fastball and one of the best secondary pitches in the game in his split-change. Waldrep will most defintely start in Gwinnett unless he just absolutely wows the Braves brass in spring training enough to earn the fifth rotation spot. If Waldrep isn’t able to carve out a spot in the big league rotation, there is the possibility the Braves could look to turn him into a late inning reliever or trade chip.
5. Nacho Alvarez – SS/3B
How he got to the Braves: 2022 MLB Draft, 5th Round Pick
There’s no denying the success that Nacho Alvarez showcased in the minors last season. The shortstop/third baseman hit .284/.391/.401 across two levels (AA, AAA) with an outstanding 13% walk rate and 17% strikeout rate. He appeared in 112 games last season and had a really solid 123 wRC+ which ultimately led to him getting time in the majors. That time, unfortunately, wasn’t great as Nacho appeared in 8 games and hit .100/.156/.100 with a 31% strikeout rate and 0% walk rate.
His time in the majors wasn’t ideal because he was thrust into the role due to injury for the big league team. There were clear things to work on as Nacho struggled with hard contact against fastballs, and his approach at the plate, while it led to lots of walks, was opposite field heavy which sapped his power. Being able to drive the ball into both gaps will be the next big thing for Nacho, who will never hit for significant power, but rely on a high contact approach at the plate.
While his time at short seems to be over, Nacho’s defensive versatility will aid in his ability to get onto the field – whether that be a second, third, or in an emergency shortstop. He should be able to continue to get on base at a good rate, but driving the ball into the gaps will really help his stock take off.
4. JR Ritchie – RHP
How he got to the Braves: 2022 MLB Draft, CB-A Pick
The Braves drafted JR Ritchie in the supplemental first round in 2022 out of a Washington high school, and the young right-hander seemed to be on the verge of breaking out in a big way early in the 2023 season. Across four starts to open the season in Low-A he struck out 25 in 13.1 innings, but went down with an injury the required Tommy John surgery.
Ritchie finally returned to the mound in mid-June with the FCL team, making three starts there, before heading back to Low-A. He dominated in Low-A in seven games (six starts), pitching to a 1.95 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 40 strikeouts to 10 walks over 32.1 innings, and earned a promotion to finish out the year in High-A. He turned in a strong debut there before struggling a little in his second outing, and then turned in a solid third and final start to the season there – though the third was a playoff start and does not count towards his final stat line. Overall he combined to pitch to a 2.90 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 56 strikeouts and 17 walks in 49.2 innings in his return from Tommy John.
Ritchie will likely open the year back in High-A, and still won’t turn 22 until late-June. He’ll have a chance to pitch his way into the upper minors at some point this season, if he can earn it. He brings a borderline plus fastball with a dangerous slider, above average changeup, and generally has solid command. The fastball and slider both took a little step back in 2024, but that’s not uncommon of a pitcher in their return from Tommy John.
Now that he’s healthy and in his second year post-surgery, the opportunity to breakout will be there for him again. His ceiling is one that depends on how much of his pre-surgery form he can regain. If the fastball is closer to touching 98 MPH like it was in 2023, or the 96 MPH we saw last year, and if the slider again looks like a plus pitch. With the gains he has made with the changeup there is a chance at a potential top of the rotation arm if his other offerings get all the way back. However if he isn’t able to get them back where they were, he would have more of a #3/4 ceiling.
3. Cam Caminiti – LHP
How he got to the Braves: 2024 MLB Draft, 1st round pick
The Braves must have been overjoyed when Cam Caminiti was available in the first round last year in the draft. One of the most polished prep pitchers in recent history – Cam boasts a four pitch arsenal highlighted by a plus fastball, plus slider, developing curveball, and a quickly progressing changeup. Cam has the ability to throw all four for strikes, has repeatable mechanics and was a two way player in high school – giving him great athleticism.
Upon his drafting and signing Cam immediately found himself in the Braves top 5 with serious potential to land himself at the top of the list sooner than later. His fastball has great movement, and combine that with a relatively deceptive delivery that hides the ball well and you have a near double plus pitch that can get up to 98 MPH. While there was lots of talk amongst Braves fans about going hitter in the first round, Cam was a can’t miss first round pick – a talent you simply could not turn away with the Braves draft situation.
Cam made one appearance in 2024 where he pitched three innings for the Augusta GreenJackets and struck out four while giving up three hits and one earned run and walking none. Most of the time prep pitchers will be held out their first year, or be sent to complex ball, but with Cam’s ability on the mound being so advanced for his age he found himself looking GOOD against competition significantly older than him. Said another way, a high schooler looked like he could pitch against experienced older college players. He will likely start the season in Augusta but with his advanced ability he could find himself pitching alongside JR Ritchie in Rome sooner than later.
2. AJ Smith-Shawver – RHP
How he got to the Braves: 2021 MLB Draft, 7th round pick
Were it not for an absolutely astronomical season posted by our top prospect — more on him in a moment — AJ Smith-Shawver would have been our top guy for the second straight year. Getting any real type of value from a 7th round pick should be considered a win for the Braves and yet, despite only having less than 30 innings with the big league club under his belt, Smith-Shawver figures to return massive dividends for the Braves.
Making his MLB debut in 2023 where he made five starts and one appearance out of the bullpen, Smith-Shawver posted a 4.26 ERA, but his FIP of 6.69 and xFIP of 5.71 were much worse. Much like with Waldrep, the Braves sent Smith-Shawver back down to the lower levels in order to ramp up for the 2024 campaign. After making one start for Rome, Smith-Shawver was bumped back up to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he spent a majority of the season. With the Stripers, he made 20 starts, throwing 87 innings of 4.86 ERA ball to go along with an FIP of 5.62.
Despite those Triple-A numbers being the opposite of what you want to see from arguably your top prospect, the Braves decided to trot Smith-Shawver out to start game one of the Wild Card series against San Diego on the road, no less. Things went about as you’d expect, as Smith-Shawver — who had made one lone start with the Braves over the course of the season — lasted just 1.1 innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out only one batter. Granted, Smith-Shawver was fighting an uphill battle in even appearing in that game — let alone starting it — it showed the 22-year-old still has a ways to go before he can cement himself as a staple in the Braves rotation.
Again, like Waldrep, Smith-Shawver will most likely return to Gwinnett to continue working on his command and mechanics while providing an incredibly valuable depth piece for the Braves’ rotation. He’ll undoubtedly get a shot at returning to Atlanta eventually, and perhaps with a strong spring training, he might could find himself fighting for a rotation spot.
1. Drake Baldwin – C
How he got to the Braves: 2022 MLB Draft, 3rd round pick
Topping our list is the unanimous #1 prospect in the system, unanimous not just within the Battery Power crew but across baseball. Drake Baldwin had a phenomenal season in 2024, continuing on a career that has seen him not only play well but seemingly improve his numbers at each stop he has made in his career. Baldwin was a question mark when he was drafted in the third round in 2022 — an above average athlete with raw power but a questionable hit tool and ability to stick behind the plate. The second of those equations was answered rather quickly. While Baldwin’s arm is inconsistent and his caught stealing rates have left something to be desired, he has improved drastically in the other areas of his receiving, game managing, and movement by the plate to the point he projects clearly as an every day defense catcher now. That has unlocked more flexibility in his offensive profile, allowing him to still have major league potential without reaching his ceiling at the plate, yet he’s gone out and also raised the projections on his hit tool as well.
High-A in 2023 was a struggle at the outset. We found some issues with the balance and lower body movement of his swing, and through the first month he struck out quite a bit and only had a 108 wRC+. However from then on he was a menace, making his way all the way to Triple-A to end the season with a sub-20% strikeout rate, 138 wRC+, and 13 home runs over his final 90 games. Baldwin arrived, but his lack of success against left-handed pitching and still unproven plate discipline (a key point of focus for Atlanta’s development of Baldwin) kept him to more of a backup catcher projection heading into 2024. That remained mostly the opinion through the beginning of June, where he had an 89 wRC+, 8.7% walk rate, and only three home runs through 45 Double-A games, but none of us knew what we were in store for moving ahead. Despite consistent change from the Braves through the rest of the year working on his swing path and setup, Baldwin never slowed down. Baldwin posted a 134 wRC+ in his final week at Double-A, quickly got shuffled up to Triple-A, and was arguably Triple-A’s best overall hitter through the final three months of the season. Baldwin improved his in zone contact rates to elite territory, cutting chunks off of his strikeout rate down to 16.2%, cut a chunk off of his chase rates and improved his walk rate to 15.6%, and overall had a 135 wRC+ at Triple-A with 12 home runs in 72 games. His savant data is even more impressive. Among Triple-A players with more than 250 plate appearances he ranked first in xwOBA (.406), 3rd in average exit velocity (92.8 mph), and 5th in hard hit rate (53.1%) with above average contact and chase rates.
Baldwin is poised to take over as some team’s primary catcher moving forward, but there are still some questions to be answered. For the Braves, specifically, it would be how Baldwin fits in the lineup with Sean Murphy signed to a long-term deal. Beyond that, however, Baldwin’s ceiling still is a ways off from where he currently is. Baldwin improved his performance against left handed pitching last season dramatically, to the point he should be able to play an every day role as a catcher, but still started to have some troubles against sliders down. This was a notable issue at the end of the year as his contact rates were closer to average over the last month of the season. Baldwin’s biggest issue right now, though, is his swing approach. While his pitch and zone recognition has improved, despite tweaks to his swing Baldwin still doesn’t lift the ball often and especially doesn’t lift on the pull side. Baldwin only hit line drives or fly balls on 21.8% of his pull side batted balls, a number that ranks in the 5th percentile of Triple-A hitters. The Braves are making active efforts to get Baldwin to lift more fly balls pull side, trying to unlock his plus raw power fully, but still most of his power production is to center and left-center field. This represents the greatest potential limitation to Baldwin’s otherwise sparkling profile, but even if his swing path likely will always present some level of limitation it does not outweigh the positive aspects of Baldwin’s profile. Baldwin has made significant strides in two professional seasons, and is a player that many think could start as a major league catcher right now. He has the potential to be a perennial all star behind the plate if he fully maximizes his offensive potential, but even in current form projects to be a solid starter that frames well and will provide a solid middle-of-the-order bat.