Drake Baldwin was one of many players who improved his stock in 2024
Many of you have been following along with our preseason top 30 Atlanta Braves prospect list rollout, and this year I decided to tack on some pieces to the end that will hopefully help explain some more of our viewpoints on players and how the list evolved since 2024. I will be going over an article each day this week, starting with our list of the system’s biggest risers. The minor league season was marked by injury for many Braves prospects, but also was the first glimpse we got of some under-the-radar talent at the lower levels. While the depth of the system still leaves plenty to be desired, the emergence of prospects at the lower levels of the system has helped revamp excitement over the next few years of Braves minor league baseball.
Luis Arestigueta
Preseason 2024: NR | Preseason 2025: 26th
Luis Arestigueta was one of a run of pitchers to have success in Augusta this season, but the attention for him first picked up based on reports out of the complex league in North Port. Arestigueta’s early impressions had him on our watch list for 2025, but the Braves pushed him up to Augusta for four outings to end 2024 and gave us a sneak preview of what could come. Arestigueta is certainly a raw prospect, but with a sinker already sitting in the low-90’s, plenty of projection in his frame, and a pair of secondary offerings that both show above average potential he made it clear that he has a future as a starter. Few players his age already have such a complete feel for his arsenal, and Arestigueta could continue to see his stock rise if he adds more strength and can shore up mechanical issues that led to some control problems.
Drake Baldwin
Preseason 2024: 9th | Preseason 2025: 1st
Drake Baldwin didn’t make the biggest numerical jump on the list, but no player had a bigger breakout than he did in the second half of 2024. We’ve talked about him at length so if you’ve followed us at all you know the story here — Baldwin got off to a rough start in Double-A but upon being promoted to Triple-A was arguably the level’s top hitter. Baldwin’s offensive metrics are off of the charts, and his steady improvement behind the plate has pushed him to an everyday catcher projection. Baldwin still needs some work on not chasing breaking balls in late counts and he hasn’t yet learned to lift the ball consistently yet, but even with those issues he projects to an above average hitter with the ability to play average or better defense.
Lucas Braun
Preseason 2024: 26th | Preseason 2025: 12th
As a 6th round pick Lucas Braun didn’t have the highest profile coming into his professional career, but at every stop along the way he has done nothing but get outs. 2024 was a special year for him, as despite some poor batted ball luck to start the season he was the system’s most-consistent arm, racking up 162 strikeouts in 143 2⁄3 innings to lead all Braves minor leaguers. Braun’s calling card is his command, as he is able to command three average pitches at a plus rate to maximize his arsenal. Braun has a chance to make his major league debut in 2025, where his reliable command and solid pitch mix puts him on the short list of guys who could rotate through the fifth spot in the rotation.
Blake Burkhalter
Preseason 2024: 22nd | Preseason 2025: 15th
The Braves liked Blake Burkhalter a lot entering his professional career, but there was rightful skepticism over their ability to convert him to a starter after he was a reliever throughout his career at Auburn. Then he tore his UCL and had to undergo Tommy John surgery, missing the 2023 and further giving us reason to pause. Burkhalter had undoubtedly good stuff with a fastball that runs into the upper 90’s a potentially plus cutter, but we approach the experiment with caution. Finally we got a chance to see the experiment play out this past year, and save some early troubles shaking off the rust Burkhalter was impressive as a member of Rome’s rotation. Both his slider and changeup show average, though his inconsistency commanding both pitches is the hurdle he needs to take on next. If he can get both pitches into his arsenal more consistently, playing those pitches off of his plus fastball and cutter combo would make him a dangerous arm who also has the potential to debut in 2025.
Didier Fuentes
Preseason 2024: 23rd | Preseason 2025: 14th
When a player gets put into full season ball while he is still 17 years old it is bound to draw attention, and the Braves putting Fuentes on the Augusta roster in 2023 certainly piqued out interest. Fuentes struggled, command issues limiting his effectiveness, but he came back out in 2024 and was firing on all cylinders. He drastically improved his fastball command and showed a more consistent slider, and through the first nine starts of the season he had a 29.9% strikeout rate and a 3.99 FIP at Augusta. Upon turning 19 he took his game to another level, with a ridiculius 34.5% strikeout rate, 5.4% walk rate, and 2.60 FIP to close out the final eight starts of the year. Fuentes still needs to find a changeup to project as a starter, but his ability to whip in his fastball, which he can run up to 97 mph, at the top of the zone and get swings and misses is a standout trait.
John Gil
Preseason 2024: NR | Preseason 2025: 17th
Luis Guanipa was the headliner of the 2023 international signing class, but many who have watched John Gil play don’t think he’s that far behind him. Gil certainly has his struggles with aggression and mistakes in the field, but despite poor numbers in Augusta he still showed an advanced ability to recognize pitches and make contact in all parts of the zone. Gil is a terrific athlete with 80 grade speed that made him a nightmare for Low-A hitters, and his hands and footspeed should allow him to stick at shortstop. Gil creates plenty of leverage in his swing, but still lacks the strength to hit for power consistently. The Braves will look to tap into his athleticism and bat speed with the hope he can be a 15-20 home runs shortstop, though he is a long way from a finished product.
Jeremy Reyes
Preseason 2024: NR | Preseason 2025: 19th
Another of that Augusta lineup, Jeremy Reyes was another who generated plenty of buzz down in Florida. Reyes already sits in the mid-90’s with his fastball, and at age 18 showed flashes of an above average slider and average changeup. Reyes’s command is far away from where it needs to be to have full confidence in projecting those pitches, but he has shown that he has the arsenal to be a starter at the major league level if he can reign in his command. He could still have more velocity in the tank as well, and his arm talent makes him one of the most intriguing watches going into 2025. His ceiling is immense, but he will likely take awhile to get there.
Ambioris Tavarez
Preseason 2024: 28th | Preseason 2025: 22nd
Ambioris Tavarez has had dreadful numbers throughout his professional career, one which has been marred by his inconsistency and inability to live up to his amateur hype. His swing-and-miss issues have been a plague, but his plus defense and raw power still make him an intriguing prospect. He improved his approach dramatically in 2024, despite being limited by a broken hand to just 50 games, and his hard work off of the field has been a point of emphasis made to us on multiple occasions. Tavarez still has the swing-and-miss wart in his profile, but his improvement in every other facet along with that run of success right before he hit the injured list was enough to sunny our outlook on him a bit.